Myanmar dismisses deportation rumors

Myanmar dismisses deportation rumors

YANGON (Reuters): Myanmar's military government dismissed on Sunday rumors that it might deport opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying they represented attempts by her party to create news headlines.

A Myanmar government statement said Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) should join the ruling military and other countries in finding ways of riding out the Asian economic crisis, rather than trying to seek publicity.

A NLD statement on Friday quoted Suu Kyi as saying that she had no intention of leaving Myanmar amid rumors in Yangon that she might be expelled from the country and the NLD dissolved after New Year.

The Nobel peace laureate said the government would have problems finding a country to accept her as she held only Myanmar's citizenship.

Myanmar's official media have in recent months questioned whether Suu Kyi is still entitled to Myanmar nationality, on the grounds that she had married a British man, academic Michael Aris.