Mahathir arrives in Yangon, minister to meet Suu Kyi

Mahathir arrives in Yangon, minister to meet Suu Kyi

Agence France-Presse, Yangon

Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir arrived here on Sunday
for an official visit along with Foreign Minister Syed Hamid
Albar, who is scheduled to meet with democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi, a diplomatic source said.

The leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) had
requested a meeting with the premier earlier this month, but
Mahathir reportedly said on Sunday he would not be agreeing to
her request.

"I'm not intending to meet her this time," he was quoted as
saying by the official Bernama news agency.

But a Malaysian diplomatic source told AFP on Sunday that a
meeting had been arranged with the foreign minister.

"A meeting will take place between the foreign minister and
Aung San Suu Kyi," the source said, without specifying when it
would take place. The meeting would come at a critical time for
Myanmar's junta as it prepares to embark on a national
reconciliation process.

Some 300 officials and businesspeople are accompanying
Mahathir on what is being billed as a business visit arranged to
reciprocate Myanmar leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe's trip to Kuala
Lumpur last year.

But the visit is likely to be more than just business, given
the close relationship between Mahathir and Than Shwe, whose
regime is expected to soon begin a political dialog with Suu Kyi.

The two sides began talking in October 2000, in contacts
brokered by veteran Malaysian diplomat and UN special envoy
Razali Ismail.

Mahathir's policy of constructive engagement with Myanmar --
which joined ASEAN in 1997 with Kuala Lumpur's sponsorship --
along with his standing as a strongman of authoritarian democracy
in Southeast Asia, make his advice likely to be highly sought.

"It has paid off, this constructive engagement and the fact
that we've brought them into the ASEAN fraternity," Syed Hamid
said on Friday.

"Some considered the development slow but there has definitely
been positive changes. Isolation is not the answer."

To bring Myanmar closer to democracy, Syed Hamid said Malaysia
believed in continued encouragement and investment in the country
because "economic development changes a lot of attitude and
perception about things."

He said that Mahathir planned to push the junta to accelerate
the reconciliation process.

On Sunday evening the premier was scheduled to meet with Gen.
Than Shwe, and attend a dinner hosted by the general in his
honor.

On the business side of Mahathir's whirlwind trip, the two
countries are to sign two memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

These are related to an offshore oil exploration contract
between Malaysia's Petronas and Myanmar's Energy Ministry, and a
study to construct mini-hydro plants at the Nga Moe Yeik and
Tabuhla dams between Tepat Teknik Sdn. Bhd. and Myanmar's
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

Three tentative MoUs on steel exports, telecommunications and
development of Yangon are also on the cards but await approval
from the Myanmar parties, according to Syed Hamid.

On Monday, Mahathir will address the Malaysia-Myanmar
Technology Conference and witness the signing of the MoUs. The
premier will also observe the installation of a new high-tech
passport screening system exported from Malaysia.

Malaysia is the fourth largest investor in Myanmar after
Singapore, Britain and Thailand, with total investments of 2.23
billion ringgit (US$587 million).