The BurmaNet News: November 26, 199

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: The BurmaNet News: November 26, 1999

---------------------- BurmaNet ------------------------
 Catch the latest news about Burma at www.burmanet.org
--------------------------------------------------------

The BurmaNet News: November 26, 1999
Issue #1410

HEADLINES:
==========
MIC: A CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF GOOD NEIGHBORS 
XINHUA: MYANMAR, WEST SOMOAN COMPANY TO COOPERATE 
NATION: MEDIA CHIDED FOR CALLING BURMA NAMES 
BKK POST: BORDERS BACK IN BUSINESS 
BKK POST: ALL CHANGE ON THE BURMESE BORDER 
AP: 1999 TRADE SEEN UP DESPITE BORDER CLOSURE 
HINDUSTAN TIMES: INDIA, MYANMAR AGREE TO LIBERALISE 
MIZZIMA: INDIA AND MILITARY REGIMES IN ITS NEIGHBORS  
***************************************************

MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE: A CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF GOOD NEIGHBORS 
24 November, 1999 

[Information Sheets issued by the Myanmar Information Committee match those
issued by the Directorate of Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI) in
Rangoon, and can be assumed to reflect official SPDC opinion.]

Information  Sheet No.B-1160 (I)

It is the consistent policy of the Union of Myanmar to try to develop
friendly and cordial relationship with all nations of the world
particularly neighbouring nations. However, due to the sharing of common
borders it is only natural that issues can sometime arrive between
neighbours. In such instances, Myanmar has always followed the practice of
minimizing the magnitude of the issues and try to resolve them entirely.

A concrete example is the recent development at Myanmar-Thai border. In
order to calm down the situation following the seizure of the Myanmar
Embassy in Bangkok on October 1st and 2nd, the Myanmar authorities were
compelled to take certain administrative measures. Nonetheless in the
spirit of resolving the issue U Win Aung, Minister of Foreign invited his
Thai counterpart Dr. Surin Pitsuwan for talks in Yangon.

The Thai Foreign Minister had a fruitful and successful discussion not only
with Foreign Minister U Win Aung but was also received by Secretary-1 Lt.
Gen Khin Nyunt. The talks were marked by mutual sentiments of goodwill,
respect and understanding and both sides expressed great satisfaction at
the results. Consequently, the situation at the Myanmar-Thai has returned
to normalcy from 24-11-99. The happy turn of affairs once again frustrated
the attempts by some individuals and organizations to place obstacles in
the relations between the two neighbours. 

***************************************************

XINHUA: MYANMAR, WEST SOMOAN COMPANY TO COOPERATE
25 November, 1999 

Xinhua, Yangon, 25 November 1999. The Myanmar telecommunications
authorities and a company from West Samoa have reached a services agreement
here on international transit traffic from the Philippines to India.

The agreement was signed on Wednesday between the state-run Myanma Pposts
and Telecommunications (MPT) and the I.I. (W.S.) Ltd of West Wamoa,
official newspaper the New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday.

Under the agreement, Myanmar will lease a satellite transponder from the
company for the services, the report said.

Besides, a satellite ground station for Myanmar-Thai direct communications
with 30 channels is being established under an agreement signed in
September between the MPT and Thailand's Telephone Organization and
Shinawatra Satellite Public Co Ltd, the report added.

According to official statistics, there are nearly 3,000 international
direct dialing telephone lines in Myanmar and foreign companies involved in
the installation of telephone system in the country in recent years also
include those from Australia, Israel, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the
United States.


THE NATION: MEDIA CHIDED FOR CALLING BURMA NAMES 
26 November, 1999 

THE first subject Burmese Foreign Minister U Win Aung broached after
agreeing to talk to a few Thai reporters yesterday was the long-standing
complaint about the media's reference to his country as ''Burma'' instead
of ''Myanmar''. 

Win Aung said the persistent use of the name ''Burma'' by two English
language dailies in Thailand, The Nation and Bangkok Post created confusion
among the younger generation. 

The soft-spoken minister, who succeeded U Ohn Gyaw a year ago, politely
explained that the name Burma, which was changed in 1989, no longer exists
as a geographical reference. 

''The name 'Myanmar' has been adopted by all internationally; you will find
'Myanmar' in international maps and the world atlas,'' he said, during a
two-hour transit stop in Bangkok. 

Win Aung said Myanmar is the original name of his country, going back to
the 6th century AD when it had no kingdoms. A group of people who inhabited
the land used to call themselves ''Myanmar''. 

Unlike other Burmese leaders who also used to complain about the media's
use of ''Burma'', Aung Win tried to explain the meaning of ''Myanmar''. 

'''Myan' means fast, while 'Mar' means strong. 'Burma' means nothing,'' he
said. 

We added that the same goes for the name of the country's capital. ''Yangon
was a town and the name means 'end of hostilities'. 'Rangoon' means
nothing,'' he said. 

Win Aung said he understood that this may be the policy of the media, but
said he would like his request to be noted.

***************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: BORDERS BACK IN BUSINESS
25 November, 1999
 
MERCHANTS RESUME TRADE IMMEDIATELY

Four major border passes closed by Burma following the Oct 1-2 embassy
siege in Bangkok re-opened yesterday to the delight of traders on both
sides of the frontier.

They are the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border checkpoint in Tak, Mae Sai-Tachilek in
Chiang Rai, Three Pagoda Pass in Kanchanaburi and Ranong-Kawthaung in Ranong.

The re-opening of the border followed a meeting of the local township
border committee (TBC) at each locality yesterday morning.

In Tak, the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge, the official border pass at Mae
Sot, was opened at 9am.

At the TBC meeting, the Burmese delegation, led by Lt Col Tin Ngwe and
Myawaddy governor Lt-Col Sura Saw Win, asked the Thai side to buy more farm
produce from Burma to reduce the trade deficit.

Pranee Siripairote, chief of the Tak commerce office, said Thailand would
consider importing soybean, maize and mungbean on approval from the
government. However, the Commerce Ministry has imposed a high import tariff
on certain farm produce to help Thai farmers.

In Chiang Rai, the Mae Sai-Tachilek checkpoint re-opened at 9am.

At the TBC meeting, Burma asked Thailand to be more strict against
anti-Rangoon elements that may cross the border to conduct subversive
activities, to join hands with Burma in crime suppression, and to step up
drug suppression co-operation.

Cross-border trade at Mae Sai resumed immediately after the re-opening of
the checkpoint. Large quantities of Thai goods including rice and fuel oil
were delivered across the border.

In Kanchanaburi, the Three Pagoda Pass in Sangkhlaburi district was
re-opened at 9:45am.

Chadet Insawan, the governor, said the re-opening of the border was a boon
for traders and relieved tensions heightened during the closure.

In Ranong, the TBC held a meeting at Kawthong Hotel, followed by a ceremony
to re-open the border at 2pm.

Although the border has been opened, the two sides have yet to hold further
negotiations over the fishing concession of Thai trawlers which was
suspended by Burma.

The Burmese delegation said they were still waiting for instructions from
the government on new conditions including a higher fee, to be imposed
before Thai fishing boats can resume fishing in Burmese waters.

The Burmese asked the Thai side to keep anti-Rangoon elements out of Ranong.

***************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: ALL CHANGE ON THE BURMESE BORDER
25 November, 1999
 
EDITORIAL

The tension that has characterised relations with the Burma junta in recent
weeks has vanished as though someone waved a magic wand. Sweetness and
light, of sorts, prevails once more, and men in uniform had nothing to do
with the end of the latest in a series of tiffs.

As abruptly as the ruling State Peace and Development Council closed
Burma's land border with Thailand seven weeks ago, it has declared it open
and things will soon be back to what passes for normal. Within weeks,
perhaps, trawlers of the Thai fleet will be back in operation in Burmese
waters amid optimism they will benefit from longer concessions which hold
out the prospect of enhanced security and greater returns.

And as for the Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors, whose Oct 1-2 adventures
at the junta's mission in Bangkok provided the catalyst for the border
closure, things couldn't be simpler. Rangoon accepts that the fugitive
exiles violated both international and Thai law and should face the
consequences in the country that was the scene of the crime.

It was entirely understandable that the ruling regime in Rangoon was piqued
by the embassy raid. The fighting peacock flag of the junta's opponents
fluttered above the mission, the sinners took on the stature of saints and
the victims the stature of villains.

Before the cameras and notebooks of the international media, hostages made
very clear that they thought the vigorous raiders were thoroughly good
chaps with a wholly justifiable cause. Quite apart from the lapse by police
who did not consider that guitar cases might contain assault rifles, the
ensuing comments of officials, not least those of our talkative interior
minister, added salt to the wound.

So now we are left to ponder just what it was that induced the junta to
take the line that would appear to indicate that water had passed under the
bridge and that it was time to embark on a new course to put relations on a
sounder footing.

The great turn-around was announced on Tuesday by Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan on his return day-trip to Rangoon where he had talks with Khin
Nyunt, secretary- 1 of the regime, and Win Aung, his Burmese counterpart.

As skilled a negotiator though he may be, it is unlikely that Mr Surin
achieved the turn-around single-handedly during his Burmese day-trip. More
likely that Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and his friends made up their minds
beforehand and invited Mr Surin to come and hear their decision and tell
everybody about it on his return to Bangkok.

Whatever the pattern of events, the outcome is satisfactory to both sides,
not least Burma which, by closing the border, was cutting off its nose to
spite its face.

More significantly, a thorn in relations has been removed through the
involvement of a Thai representative whose uniform is white, not green,
signalling an end to the unwholesome involvement of military officers long
favoured by Rangoon.

While there is much to be said for the argument that soldiers understand
one another, experience has shown that they at times lack, or choose not to
employ, the facility to see the bigger picture, to base their actions on
the national interest.

The enlightened position of the Thai military, as stated with clarity by
Gen Surayud Chulanont, the army commander, that diplomacy is a matter for
diplomats, has obviously struck home in Rangoon.

Mr Surin may well have taken a gamble in going to Rangoon, not least with
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai making clear his belief that the border
closure was a matter for the junta to decide, but it appears to have paid
off. Mr Surin appears to have made friends in Rangoon with his support for
Asean's questionable policy of flexible engagement as Tuesday's delivery of
glad tidings shows.

It is also reasonable to believe that Rangoon started being nice on the eve
of Asean's informal get-together in Manila. After all, no gathering of
close friends should be allowed to be marred by a neighbourly tiff. This
time, it is Rangoon that has made the effort to undo a mess of its own
making but it has appeared happy to let Mr Surin share some of the credit.
The signs are that Mr Surin's mettle will be tested in future dealings with
our capricious neighbour to the west.

***************************************************

ASSOCIATED PRESS: THAI, MYANMAR TRADE SEEN UP DESPITE BORDER CLOSURE 
25 November, 1999 

YANGON, Myanmar (AP)--Thai-Myanmar trade is expected to grow this year
despite frayed relations and the closure of their long-land border for two
months, the Thai ambassador to Myanmar said Thursday. 

Two-way trade in the first nine months of 1999 totaled $382.7 million,
compared with $410 million in the whole of 1998, Ambassador Pensak Chalarak
told a press conference ahead of a Thai trade fair in Yangon Dec. 1-4. 

"Since the border checkpoints were reopened, we hope business people can
make up for lost time by increasing exports and imports," he said. 

On Wednesday, the four official checkpoints, which are a conduit for trade
across the over 2,000 kilometer (1,240 mile) common border, were opened for
business again. 

Yangon closed them after the siege of the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok Oct.
1-2 that brought normally cordial bilateral relations to their lowest point
in years. 

The reopening came after a visit by Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan
this week to Yangon to mend ties ahead of a summit of Association of
Southeast Nations in Manila. Thailand and Myanmar are both ASEAN members. 

Myanmar also suspended Thai fishing concessions in its waters after the
embassy siege but Myanmar wants to renegotiate the concessions before
allowing Thai fleets back in. 

Pensak said in 1998, Thai exports to Myanmar were valued at $347 million,
while Myanmar exports to Thailand were valued at $63.6 million. 

In the first nine months of 1999, Thai exports were $299.1 million, up 15%
on the same period in 1998. Myanmar exports were $83.6 million, up 88%,
Pensak said.

***************************************************

HINDUSTAN TIMES: INDIA, MYANMAR AGREE TO LIBERALISE VISA RULES 
25 November, 1999 by Jay Raina 

New Delhi - In what could be termed as a significant development, India and
Myanmar have agreed in principle to liberalise the exiting visa regime and
facilitate the movement of their citizens in a big way along the
Indo-Myanmar borders in the North-East, besides the existing entry through
airports. 

Under the proposed visa-regime, in addition to facilitating cross border
movement of its nationals through land routes, special passes for
short-duration stay would be issued to all the bona fide residents of the
border districts of the two countries along the international border.
Presently, entry of the citizens of the two countries holding passports and
other valid travel documents is restricted to ports by air. 

Highly placed sources said that a format agreement on the new visa-regime
was slated to be signed shortly. "However, the draft MOU on this count has
already been exchanged amid a general agreement on the basic parameters of
the proposed visa-regime," they averred. Under the proposed scheme of
things, three types of entry-entitlements would be available to the bona
fide citizens of the two countries. Firstly, residents of the border
districts of the two countries along the Indo-Myanmar border will be
provided with 'passes' which will facilitate their stay for two weeks at a
time across the international borders. 

Secondly, traders from any part of India and Myanmar and with inter-border
business interests would be given 'business passes' to enter the two
countries through select land routes along the international border. Such
pass-holders can stay in each others' territory for two weeks at a time. 

The third category of bonafide citizens of the two neighbouring countries
with formal travel documents can make use of select landports for entry
into each others country besides the existing facility of air travel. 

***************************************************

MIZZIMA NEWS GROUP: INDIA AND MILITARY REGIMES IN ITS TWO NEIGHBORS
25 November, 1999 by B. K. Sen 

The Prime Minister of India has condemned the military coup in Pakistan and
expressed his concern for democracy. It was reported that he contributed
much to the Commonwealth Declaration that asked for end of military rule
and for restoration of democracy in Pakistan. India's commitment to
democracy was loud and clear. This commitment is true in respect of India's
neighbourhood. It is time that India once again declares her support to the
cause of democracy in Burma.

The issue in Burma is simple. Burma has gone through a long period of
military rule. Then in 1990, a general election was held under the army
rule. But army rulers are refusing to transfer power to the elected
representatives of the people. The issue therefore is simple: namely,
accelerate the political process. The world community has given support to
this issue. In particular United States of America, the European Union, and
even some countries of ASEAN have supported the cause of peaceful
transition of power in Burma. In other words, India cannot make an excuse
that it is an "internal affair" of Burma. If India thinks that her economic
or national interests demand that she should be aloof, that would be wrong.
India cannot do any trade with Burma whose economy is now dominated by drug
warlords. No investor also will stake investment in a country ridden with
instability, civil and ethnic strife. The only investment that India should
now make in Burma is investment in winning the hearts of the people. And
that is by giving moral support to the people suppressed and oppressed. The
ruling elite's reaction in Burma or the China factor should not act as
deterrents Nor should they be determinants of India's neighbourhood policy.

Democracy in the neighbourhood countries is the best guarantee of India's
national interest. Let India speak out regarding her relationship with
Burma in the context of her new emerging foreign policy.

***************************************************




_____________________________________________________________
What's hot at Topica?  Sign up for our "Best New Lists" 
newsletter and find out!  http://www.topica.com/t/8