AUSTRALIA AND INTERPOL MEETING

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

17-FEB-99, 8:30AM

INTERPOL MEETING: WE HEAR NOTHING FROM AUST.GOVT

While almost every western countries seems to be boycotting the INTERPOL
Herion Conference in Burma, there has been no response from Australian
Government on whether to boycott the meeting or to go ahead with their
plan. It has been the case that during previous Labour Government,
Australia seems to have taken a softer stance as regards Burma human
rights in comparison to US and EU. I think that was perfectly alright
because the former Prime Minister as well as Foreign Minister appears to
take much more interest in Asian politics (& Burmese politics, of
course). Diplomatic and political  interaction of Australian and Asian
were also quite visible and therefore we can hope for getting things
done through that channel.

To my opinion, something of different can be said about current
Coalition Government. Current Australian government is more interested
and much devoted of their energy on fixing things at domestic front. It
is also everyone's knowledge that current Australian Cabinet is somewhat
hostile to domestic human rights lobbies. I therefore have judged, since
early 1997, that current Australian Government could be made a better
contribution towards Burma human rights by imposing a visa ban and trade
sanction. As regards Australian's participation in INTERPOL conference
in Burma, I just couldn't  see any substantial benefit that can be
gained by Australian delegation going to Rangoon.

Aside from the meeting venue, the Australian Federal Police had
particularly good results last year in intercepting herion: at one time
400kg of pure herion from Golden Triangle  were seized at Australian
coast. We have no knowledge, though, about how much Australian Law
Enforcements have contributed towards countering the drug money
laundering in connection with Burma.

On putting pressure on SPDC/SLORC, the result of international
community's efforts in countering the drug-money laundering in Burma
could  be as good as the trade sanctions. This is because an estimated
60% of Burma's economy under SPDC/SLORC origniates from drug
trafficking. Recent reports are indicating that economic activities,
such as construction works etc., in Burma have really been put to a
halt. I am just wondering whether this can be attributed to the
counter-measures against drug-money laundering in Burma. Precisely how
the Burma's drug barons have laundered money through their show-case
businesses in Burma can be most interesting.  I would think that those
such information will be much more useful distributing through Internet
, instead of having to go to Rangoon to deliver the papers.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.
---------------------------------------------


BURMA-AUST FED: AUSTRALIA REJECTS BOYCOT OF BURMA DURG SUMMIT
DATE: 17:46 11-Feb-99

FED: Australia rejedcts boycott of Burma drug summit BURMA AUST

By Stephen Spencer, Diplomatic Correspondent

CANBERRA, Feb 11 AAP-- Australia today came under fire for refusing to
join the United States and anumber of European nations in boycotting an
Interpol conference on herion in Burma later this month.

The US yesterday confirmed it would join Britain, Holland, Italy,
Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark in boycotting the conference to avoid
compromising tough sanctions designed to isolate the Burmese military
regime.

At least two other European Union(EU) nations are considering joining
the boycott, with others under pressure from the US not to attend.

But Australia, which has not imposed sanctions on Burma, will send two
Australian Federal Police officers and a Customs officer to the
conference.

The Australia Burma Council has written to Foreign Minister Alexander
Downer apealing to him to overturn Australia's decision to attend the
conference.

The council says Australia's presence would help to legitimise the
regimme which has been ostracised over its brutal treatment of political
opponents and refusal to recognise the 1990 election victory by Nobel
Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Mr Downer must reconsider his position on this mmatter and refuse to
allow Australian Federal Police to attend the conference if Australia is
to maintain a level of respectability and honour in the international
community," the council said in a statement.

The council also attacked the staging of the ocnference in Burma as
hypocritical, citing US claims that Burma, with the compliance of the
military regime, was one of the world's major sources of illicit drugs.

Burma is the largest producer of herion in the Asia Pacific region and
is directly responsible for approximately 80 per cent of the drug on our
shores which kills Australian children every day," the council said.

"Australia spends millions of dollars trying to stem the flow of drugs
from the Golden Triangle, yet are prepared to spend more on a conference
whicn will embrace the dictatorship of Burma and leave them thinking
their propaganda is being believed."

AAP ss/cfm
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