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Bkk Post - Surin accepts invitation



Subject: Bkk Post - Surin accepts invitation to Burma

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Bangkok Post Nov-16, 1999.
THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS


Surin accepts invitation to Burma
Visit likely before Nov 25 Asean meet


Post Reporters


The foreign minister has accepted an invitation to visit Burma and will =
likely go there before Asean heads of government meet in Manila later =
this month.

Surin Pitsuwan told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Burmese =
ambassador Hla Maung, he hopes the trip will lead to an easing of the =
situation on the Thai-Burmese border.

Burma closed its land and sea borders after Burmese dissidents stormed =
the Burmese embassy and held hostages there on Oct 1. Thailand began =
deporting illegal Burmese workers as planned early this month despite =
the border closure.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Don Pramudwinai said Mr Surin would meet his =
Burmese counterpart, Win Aung, during the day-long visit. But it was not =
yet clear if he also would meet more senior members of the junta.

Mr Surin said Thai and Burmese authorities had been in consultations =
since early October and that Burma first extended the invitation for him =
to pay a visit two weeks ago.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Surin said he would not travel to Burma for talks =
unless there was a clear agenda.

The Burmese government, he said, must be "prepared and willing" to solve =
on-going bilateral problems.

Over the weekend, the foreign minister stressed diplomacy must be =
conducted through proper channels and not through personal connections.

The ministry spokesman said Thailand regarded the invitation as a "good =
sign" of better relations between the two countries.

Mr Surin's visit to Burma is expected to take place before Nov 25, when =
he is due to attend a ministerial conference in Manila in preparation =
for the summit of Asean heads of government there on Nov 28.

>From today till Nov 18, Mr Surin is co-chairing Thai-Australian =
ministerial talks in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

During Nov 18-19, Mr Surin will play host to Cambodia's foreign minister =
Hor Namhong.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV align=3Dleft>Bangkok Post Nov-16, 1999.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><STRONG><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA>THAI-BURMESE=20
RELATIONS</FONT></STRONG></DIV><BR><!-- HEADLINE -->
<H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D4>Surin accepts invitation to =
Burma</FONT></H1>
<H1 align=3Dleft><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D3><I>Visit likely before Nov =
25 Asean=20
meet</I><BR><BR></H1></FONT>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000><!--BYLINE--><B><FONT size=3D3>Post=20
Reporters</FONT></B><BR></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3><B>T</B>he foreign minister has accepted an invitation =
to visit=20
Burma and will likely go there before Asean heads of government meet in =
Manila=20
later this month.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Surin Pitsuwan told reporters after an hour-long =
meeting with=20
Burmese ambassador Hla Maung, he hopes the trip will lead to an easing =
of the=20
situation on the Thai-Burmese border.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Burma closed its land and sea borders after Burmese =
dissidents=20
stormed the Burmese embassy and held hostages there on Oct 1. Thailand =
began=20
deporting illegal Burmese workers as planned early this month despite =
the border=20
closure.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Foreign Ministry spokesman Don Pramudwinai said Mr =
Surin would=20
meet his Burmese counterpart, Win Aung, during the day-long visit. But =
it was=20
not yet clear if he also would meet more senior members of the =
junta.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Mr Surin said Thai and Burmese authorities had been in =

consultations since early October and that Burma first extended the =
invitation=20
for him to pay a visit two weeks ago.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Earlier yesterday, Mr Surin said he would not travel =
to Burma=20
for talks unless there was a clear agenda.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>The Burmese government, he said, must be "prepared and =
willing"=20
to solve on-going bilateral problems.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Over the weekend, the foreign minister stressed =
diplomacy must=20
be conducted through proper channels and not through personal=20
connections.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>The ministry spokesman said Thailand regarded the =
invitation as=20
a "good sign" of better relations between the two countries.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>Mr Surin's visit to Burma is expected to take place =
before Nov=20
25, when he is due to attend a ministerial conference in Manila in =
preparation=20
for the summit of Asean heads of government there on Nov 28.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>From today till Nov 18, Mr Surin is co-chairing =
Thai-Australian=20
ministerial talks in Nakhon Si Thammarat.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D3>During Nov 18-19, Mr Surin will play host to =
Cambodia's foreign=20
minister Hor Namhong.</FONT></P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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