Military working towards peace dialog with Suu Kyi

Military working towards peace dialog with Suu Kyi

YANGON (Reuter): Myanmar's military government said yesterday
it was doing all it could to move towards dialog with pro-
democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Realizing dialog is needed for genuine reconciliation,
cordial relations are being established for peace," a newspaper
commentary said.

But the commentary in Myanmarese-language newspapers said the
ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) wanted the
opposition to show some flexibility if talks were to take place.

"We know the SLORC is doing this from their side. We think the
other side should have a flexible, constructive spirit which is
needed for dialog, instead of dogmatic destructive spirits," the
commentary said.

Since her release last July from six years of house arrest,
Suu Kyi has been calling on the SLORC to hold talks with her
National League for Democracy (NLD) party and ethnic groups to
find a peaceful way to bring democracy to troubled nation.

The SLORC has never accepted her requests, instead repeatedly
lashing out at the Nobel Peace Prize winner and the NLD in
written and verbal attacks for being "lackeys" and "goons" of
imperialists who want to rule Myanmar.

Other state-run media said in commentaries that foreigners
should not meddle in Myanmarese affairs.

"Those outside the country, who are sabotaging peace, are on
notice to keep their hands off Myanmar (Burma)," the New Light of
Myanmar newspaper said.

"We desire democracy. Who doesn't?" it said. "But it shall not
be transplanted democracy that is made to measure according to
foreign designs, with the kind of flaws and weaknesses that can
lead to a breakup of the Union."

"A couple of agents of those who would like to see (the
government) kowtow to them just recently finished a tour of the
region during which they did some arm twisting to get our friends
to toe the line. To no avail," it said.

The commentary was apparently referring to a recent Asian tour
of two U.S. envoys sent to try to draw a coordinated response to
recent increased tension between Myanmar's military government
and the opposition.

In Tokyo, Myanmar's embassy told Japan yesterday that the
SLORC had no intention of arresting Suu Kyi, according to a
Japanese government spokesman.

"The Myanmar embassy in Tokyo said the government is not
considering arresting Aung Sang Suu Kyi or taking any other
measures, such as preparing an arrest warrant," Chief Cabinet
Secretary Seiroku Kajiyama told a news conference.

Japan's Mainichi Shimbun, quoting unidentified sources in
Tokyo, reported earlier yesterday the arrest of Suu Kyi was
possible and could take place by the end of this week.

Suu Kyi, who yesterday turned 51, said in response to the
Japanese daily's report that she did not fear arrest, adding that
such a move would damage the military government more than her
party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

"You can't participate in politics in Burma (Myanmar) if you
fear arrest," Suu Kyi was quoted as saying in the evening edition
of the newspaper.

"A dictatorial government arrests anybody, anytime...But the
damage will be on the militaristic government, rather than on the
NLD," she said.