NEWS - Myanmar Denies Illegal Arms

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS - Myanmar Denies Illegal Arms Supply to Sri Lankan Tamil Rebels

Myanmar Denies Illegal Arms Supply to S.lankan Tamil Rebels

               Xinhua
               15-JUL-99

               COLOMBO (July 15) XINHUA - Myanmar will never allow Sri
               Lankan Tamil rebels operating on its soil nor allow
illegal
               arms supply through its territorial waters, said visiting
               Myanmar Foreign Minister U Win Aung Thursday. 

               "It's not our policy to interfere into other country's
domestic
               affairs, " said U Win Aung, the first Myanmar foreign
minister
               to visit Sri Lanka. 

               U Win Aung arrived here Wednesday night for a two-day
               visit as the first leg of his tour of South Asia and
Southeast
               Asia. He will also visit Bangladesh, Singapore and other
               countries later this month. 

               Myanmar and Sri Lanka can cooperate to curb illegal arms
               supply to Tamil rebels by sharing information, the
minister
               told a press conference. 

               Sri Lanka has been battling separatist Tamil rebels who
               demand a homeland for minority Tamils in the north and
east
               of the country. 

               Illegal arms supply to Tamil rebels is believed to
prolong the
               16-year-old war and has aroused serious concern of the
Sri
               Lankan government. 

               As to the speculation of illegal arms supply to Tamil
rebels, U
               Win Aung said, "If direct source is us, we will tackle
this
               problem." 

               Thursday morning, U Win Aung met with Sri Lankan acting
               Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella. 

               During the meeting, he proposed to activate a joint
               commission set up in 1993 to enhance the cultural,
               economical and trade ties between the two countries.