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AP-Myanmar Praises Japan For Visit

Subject: AP-Myanmar Praises Japan For Visit Aimed At Reviving Economy

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Thursday, December 2 5:14 PM SGT=20
Myanmar Praises Japan For Visit Aimed At Reviving Economy
YANGON (AP)--Myanmar's military government praised Japan Thursday for =
breaking ranks with the West and trying a new diplomatic initiative =
aimed at reviving Myanmar's faltering economy.=20
"The Japanese government as well as financial institutions want to =
assist us, but the Americans have been pressuring them not to," Brig. =
Gen. David Abel told Japanese reporters in a rare press briefing.=20

"The West has been pointing out that if we have political reforms, or if =
we do what they want, they will assist Myanmar," Abel said. "We don't do =
what the big powers ask us to do."=20

Abel, the regime's leading economics figure and a government minister, =
was speaking on the third day of a private mission led by former =
Japanese premier Ryutaro Hashimoto and a delegation of former diplomats, =
economists and aid experts.=20

The visit follows Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's meeting Sunday with the =
chairman of Myanmar's ruling council of generals, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, =
on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nation summit in =
Manila.=20

The meeting was the first between a leader from Myanmar and the leader =
of a major country since troops crushed street protests against military =
rule in 1988, killing thousands.=20

The U.S. and European Union have imposed sanctions on Myanmar and demand =
that the generals start a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu =
Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate. Her party won elections in 1990, but =
the military never allowed parliament to meet.=20

The Japanese indicate they are ready to resume some aid - health and =
education experts are with Hashimoto - if visible moves toward democracy =
are made.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>Thursday, December 2</B> 5:14 PM SGT =

<H2><FONT color=3D#ff0000 size=3D4>Myanmar Praises Japan For Visit Aimed =
At Reviving=20
Economy</FONT></H2>YANGON (AP)--Myanmar's military government praised =
Japan=20
Thursday for breaking ranks with the West and trying a new diplomatic =
initiative=20
aimed at reviving Myanmar's faltering economy.=20
<P>"The Japanese government as well as financial institutions want to =
assist us,=20
but the Americans have been pressuring them not to," Brig. Gen. David =
Abel told=20
Japanese reporters in a rare press briefing.=20
<P>"The West has been pointing out that if we have political reforms, or =
if we=20
do what they want, they will assist Myanmar," Abel said. "We don't do =
what the=20
big powers ask us to do."=20
<P>Abel, the regime's leading economics figure and a government =
minister, was=20
speaking on the third day of a private mission led by former Japanese =
premier=20
Ryutaro Hashimoto and a delegation of former diplomats, economists and =
aid=20
experts.=20
<P>The visit follows Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's meeting Sunday with =
the=20
chairman of Myanmar's ruling council of generals, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, =
on the=20
sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nation summit in Manila.=20
<P>The meeting was the first between a leader from Myanmar and the =
leader of a=20
major country since troops crushed street protests against military rule =
in=20
1988, killing thousands.=20
<P>The U.S. and European Union have imposed sanctions on Myanmar and =
demand that=20
the generals start a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, =
the 1991=20
Nobel Peace laureate. Her party won elections in 1990, but the military =
never=20
allowed parliament to meet.=20
<P>The Japanese indicate they are ready to resume some aid - health and=20
education experts are with Hashimoto - if visible moves toward democracy =
are=20
made. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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