Myanmar democracy talks inspires little hope<\/p>\n
Sarah Stewart, Agence France-Presse, Bangkok<\/p>\n
Landmark international talks on democratic reform in Myanmar are
\nto be held here on Monday, but even the Thai hosts have warned
\nthey will not produce a magic solution to end four decades of
\nmilitary rule.<\/p>\n
Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
\nItaly, Japan and Singapore are to attend the half-day conference
\nled by Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who said last week
\nthat change would be slow in coming.<\/p>\n
"We don't expect anything concrete from the first meeting, it
\nwould be impossible. We just want people to meet and understand
\neach other, which will help to bring about national
\nreconciliation," he said.<\/p>\n
At the talks, Myanmar's representative Foreign Minister Win
\nAung will be pushed to explain the ruling junta's "road map"
\ntoward democracy which was unveiled in August by new Prime
\nMinister Gen. Khin Nyunt.<\/p>\n
Critics of the regime dismiss the proposal as a smokescreen,
\npointing out that it gives no timeframe for reforms to start and
\nfails to mention opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is
\ncurrently under house arrest.<\/p>\n
But most of the participating nations -- generally represented
\nby deputy foreign ministers or senior ministry officials -- have
\nsaid they will use the conference to glean information rather
\nthan make demands.<\/p>\n
"We are here to listen to what the Myanmar side and others
\nhave to say. We are not presenting any views, we are listening to
\nthe views from the Burmese side," said an Indian embassy official
\nin Bangkok.<\/p>\n
However, during talks with Khin Nyunt in Tokyo on Friday,
\nMyanmar's biggest donor Japan made it clear that if the military
\nregime wants aid money to flow into the impoverished nation it
\nmust begin implementing the road map.<\/p>\n
Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi urged the junta
\nnumber-three to promote the reform process "so that it would
\nbecome easier for Japan to extend assistance," a Japanese
\nofficial said.<\/p>\n
Myanmar said in the run-up to the talks that it would not
\nattend if it was going to be criticized, and Thailand has
\npointedly left the regime's two loudest critics, the United
\nStates and Britain, off the guest list.<\/p>\n
Other influential figures at the meeting include Indonesia's
\nrepresentative, former foreign minister Ali Alatas who went to
\nYangon in September to push -- unsuccessfully -- for Suu Kyi to
\nbe freed before a Southeast Asian summit.<\/p>\n
But the participation of China, represented by Assistant be
\nfreed before a Southeast Asian summit.Foreign Affairs Minister
\nShen Guo Sang, lends weight to the talks as it is Myanmar's main
\ntrading partner and one of its few international allies.<\/p>\n
Human rights activists remain skeptical that the junta intends
\nto embark on reforms or give any ground at the Bangkok talks
\nwhich are being held six months after a sweeping crackdown on the
\npro-democracy opposition.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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