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Reuters-Search on for new Myanmar n

Subject: Reuters-Search on for new Myanmar negotiator - diplomats 

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Search on for new Myanmar negotiator - diplomats=20
03:35 a.m. Dec 03, 1999 Eastern=20
By David Brunnstrom=20

BANGKOK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A search is on to find a replacement for a =
U.N. special envoy to Myanmar who has been unable to bring about any =
democratic change there despite four visits to the country, diplomats =
said on Friday.=20

A three-day mission to Yangon this week by Japan's former Prime Minister =
Ryutaro Hashimoto was connected to finding the replacement for Peruvian =
Alvaro de Soto, said one diplomat in the Myanmar capital who did not =
want to be identified.=20

In late October, shortly after his last visit to Myanmar, De Soto was =
named the U.N. special representative to Cyprus and promoted to under =
secretary-general. But no announcement has been made about the future of =
his Myanmar mission.=20

Diplomats said De Soto had clearly become frustrated by a lack of =
progress in his efforts to encourage Myanmar to democratise, but the =
process he had started would continue.=20

``I think he's had enough of that, but it's going to carry on,'' said a =
Bangkok-based diplomat.=20

``He has another job,'' said the envoy in Yangon. ``It's likely there =
should be somebody else coming in the next round. There have been direct =
contacts to the Japanese and other countries in Asia to look for an =
appropriate person.''=20

De Soto's mission to Myanmar as U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's =
special envoy ran into difficulties from the start.=20

After his first visit to Yangon in October last year the generals took =
umbrage when media reports appeared saying the United Nations and the =
World Bank were willing to offer Myanmar up to $1 billion if they were =
to enter a dialogue with the pro-democracy opposition led by Nobel =
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.=20

MISSION NOT APPRECIATED=20

``The first De Soto mission was not appreciated by this government at =
all,'' said the diplomat in Yangon. ``The fact it was quoted that $1 =
billion dollars would be given to the government was a face-losing =
approach for them.=20

``They were really bothered and said 'nobody can buy us'.''=20

A measure of the failure of De Soto's mission came when Suu Kyi's =
opposition announced last month the authorities had arrested the leaders =
of two ethnic minority parties who took part in talks with him during =
his October visit.=20

The Yangon-based diplomat said Hashimoto would have sounded out military =
leaders in Yangon on finding a replacement.=20

``I'm sure,'' he said. ``If you had a difficult negotiation situation =
and if one party is not happy about the negotiator and the negotiator is =
in a difficult position, any change in the negotiator is a step =
forward.''=20

Japanese diplomats say the visit of Hashimoto, Japanese Prime Minister =
Keizo Obuchi's foreign policy adviser, has been to discuss Japan's offer =
of aid if there is democratic progress.=20

Japan suspended aid in 1988, when the military killed thousands to crush =
a pro-democracy uprising. It resumed some humanitarian help when Suu Kyi =
was freed from six-years house arrest in 1995.=20

A Japanese diplomat in Bangkok said full resumption of aid would require =
visible progress towards democracy.=20

Myanmar has not commented on a World Bank report last month that said =
Yangon needed major political and human rights reforms to achieve =
prosperity on a par with neighbouring countries.=20

However, it has not shut the door, saying World Bank officials would be =
invited for further consultations.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D+1><STRONG>Search on for =
new Myanmar=20
negotiator - diplomats</STRONG></FONT> <BR>03:35 a.m. Dec 03, 1999 =
Eastern=20
<P><STRONG>By David Brunnstrom</STRONG>=20
<P>BANGKOK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A search is on to find a replacement for a =
U.N.=20
special envoy to Myanmar who has been unable to bring about any =
democratic=20
change there despite four visits to the country, diplomats said on =
Friday.=20
<P>A three-day mission to Yangon this week by Japan's former Prime =
Minister=20
Ryutaro Hashimoto was connected to finding the replacement for Peruvian =
Alvaro=20
de Soto, said one diplomat in the Myanmar capital who did not want to be =

identified.=20
<P>In late October, shortly after his last visit to Myanmar, De Soto was =
named=20
the U.N. special representative to Cyprus and promoted to under=20
secretary-general. But no announcement has been made about the future of =
his=20
Myanmar mission.=20
<P>Diplomats said De Soto had clearly become frustrated by a lack of =
progress in=20
his efforts to encourage Myanmar to democratise, but the process he had =
started=20
would continue.=20
<P>``I think he's had enough of that, but it's going to carry on,'' said =
a=20
Bangkok-based diplomat.=20
<P>``He has another job,'' said the envoy in Yangon. ``It's likely there =
should=20
be somebody else coming in the next round. There have been direct =
contacts to=20
the Japanese and other countries in Asia to look for an appropriate =
person.''=20
<P>De Soto's mission to Myanmar as U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's =
special=20
envoy ran into difficulties from the start.=20
<P>After his first visit to Yangon in October last year the generals =
took=20
umbrage when media reports appeared saying the United Nations and the =
World Bank=20
were willing to offer Myanmar up to $1 billion if they were to enter a =
dialogue=20
with the pro-democracy opposition led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu =
Kyi.=20
<P><STRONG>MISSION NOT APPRECIATED</STRONG>=20
<P>``The first De Soto mission was not appreciated by this government at =
all,''=20
said the diplomat in Yangon. ``The fact it was quoted that $1 billion =
dollars=20
would be given to the government was a face-losing approach for them.=20
<P>``They were really bothered and said 'nobody can buy us'.''=20
<P>A measure of the failure of De Soto's mission came when Suu Kyi's =
opposition=20
announced last month the authorities had arrested the leaders of two =
ethnic=20
minority parties who took part in talks with him during his October =
visit.=20
<P>The Yangon-based diplomat said Hashimoto would have sounded out =
military=20
leaders in Yangon on finding a replacement.=20
<P>``I'm sure,'' he said. ``If you had a difficult negotiation situation =
and if=20
one party is not happy about the negotiator and the negotiator is in a =
difficult=20
position, any change in the negotiator is a step forward.''=20
<P>Japanese diplomats say the visit of Hashimoto, Japanese Prime =
Minister Keizo=20
Obuchi's foreign policy adviser, has been to discuss Japan's offer of =
aid if=20
there is democratic progress.=20
<P>Japan suspended aid in 1988, when the military killed thousands to =
crush a=20
pro-democracy uprising. It resumed some humanitarian help when Suu Kyi =
was freed=20
from six-years house arrest in 1995.=20
<P>A Japanese diplomat in Bangkok said full resumption of aid would =
require=20
visible progress towards democracy.=20
<P>Myanmar has not commented on a World Bank report last month that said =
Yangon=20
needed major political and human rights reforms to achieve prosperity on =
a par=20
with neighbouring countries.=20
<P>However, it has not shut the door, saying World Bank officials would =
be=20
invited for further consultations. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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