Reuters-Veteran Myanmar politician (r)

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Veteran Myanmar politician calls for urgent talks 
08:27 a.m. Sep 14, 1998 Eastern 

YANGON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Veteran Myanmar politician Bohmu Aung called on
Monday for urgent and unconditional talks between the military government
and the opposition led by Aung Suu Kyi to stop the country's political
climate from worsening. 



``At present, political tension in Myanmar is increasing as a result of the
detention of...representatives of the national races, National League for
Democracy (NLD) and political forces who were elected in the 1990 general
elections,'' the retired octogenarian said in a statement released directly
to media. 



Myanmar's military rulers have detained more than 700 NLD members since
late May, including 194 elected representatives, according to the NLD. 



The detentions were provoked by the NLD's called for the convening of a
``People's Parliament'' of candidates elected in the May 1990 general
election which the party swept, a victory ignored by the military. 



The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has warned the NLD
not to convene the parliament and has acknowledged detaining party members
to block the plan. But it has not said how many had been detained. 



Bohmu Aung was a member of the legendary ``Thirty Comrades'' group out of
which grew modern Myanmar's armed forces. He is one of five surviving
members of the group, which was founded by Myanmar independence hero
General Aung San -- father of Aung San Suu Kyi -- to fight British colonial
forces. 



He was also chairman of the People's Parliament in the democracy era
between January 1948, when Myanmar received independence from Britain, and
March 1962, when the military seized power in a coup. 



``Political problems cannot be resolved by merely doing such detaining,''
he said, adding that the opposition and military needed to hold urgent
talks to reach a compromise. 



The talks must be held without any preconditions, both parties should be
free to choose their own representatives for the talks and the discussions
should be held first at a preliminary level and later at a summit level, he
said. 



The SPDC and the NLD have not engaged in a genuine dialogue on their
political divisions because the military has refused to acknowledge Suu
Kyi's presence in any talks. The NLD insists on the inclusion of Suu Kyi,
winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to restore democracy
to the country. 



Suu Kyi and the military have been at political loggerheads ever since she
was released from six years of house arrest in mid-1995. The government has
curbed her political activities and she has complained that the military is
abusing human rights and clipping her party's wings. 



On Monday, state-run Myanmar media continued to rail against Suu Kyi,
urging the government to take decisive action against her. 



``It is high time for the government to take decisive action against Aung
San Suu Kyi and her associates,'' said a commentary in Myanmar-language
newspapers by a writer who described herself as a teacher. 



The article tried to link Suu Kyi to recent student protests over
university exam regulations and procedures. 



The media, widely seen as the military's mouthpiece, on Sunday warned NLD
deputy president U Tin Oo, a close associate of Suu Kyi, that he faces
possible arrest for anti-government activities and instigating divisions in
the military. 



But one diplomat said such suggestions, often put forward by more hardline
elements in the military, were not always acted upon. 



``Don't take that to be serious, I don't think the government will take
action as suggested by the commentator,'' the diplomat said. 



Last week, the SPDC distanced itself from a suggestion in the media that
Suu Kyi be deported for her opposition activities after the article
provoked a protest from the United States.