Malaysia PM visits Myanmar amid hopes for dialog

Malaysia PM visits Myanmar amid hopes for dialog

YANGON (Reuters): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
began a week-long working visit to Myanmar on Wednesday, raising
hopes he could help broker dialogue between the military
government and its pro-democracy opposition.

Mahathir was due to meet Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of
the ruling State Peace and Development Council, on Wednesday
afternoon, before attending an official dinner.

But foreign ministry officials in Yangon said no meeting with
Aung San Suu Kyi, head of the opposition National League for
Democracy (NLD), had been scheduled.

Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, has been
held in de facto house arrest since September as part of a
crackdown on the NLD, which won elections by a landslide in 1990
but has never been allowed to govern.

Myanmar's government has faced international condemnation for
its treatment of Suu Kyi and the NLD. But Malaysia has been one
of its strongest allies, insisting that the government should be
left to resolve the political deadlock without external
intervention.

Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail, the UN's special envoy to
Myanmar, is also set to visit the country from Jan. 5 to 9.
Speculation has been mounting in Yangon that the restrictions on
Suu Kyi may be lifted during the visit of Mahathir and Razali,
but nothing has been announced.

It is Razali's third visit to Myanmar. In October, he held
talks with senior government officials and met Suu Kyi. He is the
only diplomat to be allowed access to Suu Kyi since she was
confined to her house.

Thailand's the Nation daily said in an editorial Mahathir's
visit was an opportunity to break the political deadlock in
Myanmar.

"His visit is significant because it comes amid the ongoing UN
efforts at reconciliation, led by his countryman, Razali Ismail,"
the newspaper said.

"It is irreversible that Burma (Myanmar) must change to move
ahead with the world of the 21st century. This will be the best
time to do so. With Mahathir's personal assistance and risk-
taking, this is a great opportunity for Burma to change."

Myanmar was controversially admitted to the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1997.

Some ASEAN countries, in particular Thailand, are increasingly
frustrated with the political isolation that Myanmar's membership
has imposed on the bloc, and are pressing for external mediation.

But Malaysia has been a staunch defender of ASEAN's code of
non-interference in the internal affairs of other members.

As well as Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand, ASEAN groups
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore and
Vietnam.

Mahathir is scheduled to visit several islands off the Myanmar
coast from Thursday until Jan. 9, when he returns to Malaysia.