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Bangkok Post News



<bigger>Suu Kyi prepared to muster 'parliament'

</bigger><italic>

Military unlikely to tolerate 'illegal'move

</italic>

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi tole supporters this weekend
she intended to convene a "people's Parliament" in September, sources in
her party said yesterday.

	Plans announced earlier this month by Mrs Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy (NLD) to convene a parliament have put the opposition on a
collision course with the ruling military State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC).

	"In her informal meeting with about 500 NLD members who came to ask
after her health on Saturday afternoon, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the NLD
would go ahead with its plan for a People's Parliament in September, but
she did not mention an exact date," an NLD source said.

	Government officials could not be reached for comment yesterday but have
previously said such a move would be illegal.

	State-run media have suggested the opposition could be outlawed and Mrs
Suu Kyi deported if the party proceeds with its plans.

	The opposition has threatened to convene a parliament, including
representatives of different ethnic groups, after the military ignored
its calls to convene on August 21 an assembly based on the results of a
1990 general election.

	The military has said a parliament cannot be convened before a
constitution is finalised. The NLD says the government is stalling.

	The NLD easily won the 1990 election but the result was never recognised
by Burma's military, which has since arrested scores of opposition
members and curtailed the party's activities.

	Relations between the two sides appeared to be easing as high-level
representatives of the two sides met for the first talks for morn than a
year on August 18.


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