Myanmar marks key date with praise for democracy

Myanmar marks key date with praise for democracy

YANGON (Agencies): Myanmar's military government marked a key
national anniversary on Tuesday with cautious praise for
democracy, with one senior official saying secretive talks with
the pro-democracy opposition were going well.

Thousands of soldiers with automatic rifles marched through
Yangon to commemorate Armed Forces Day, the 56th anniversary of
the launch of nationwide resistance against the occupying
Japanese in 1945.

A senior government spokesman at the ceremony was upbeat about
the talks with Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

"It is going very well," he told Reuters.

Closed-door discussions between Suu Kyi's opposition National
League for Democracy (NLD) and the ruling State Peace and
Development Council began in October last year. They represent
the highest-level protracted talks between the ruling generals
and the NLD since 1995.

Some diplomats and pro-democracy activists have said they
hoped the government would mark Tuesday's anniversary with a
gesture of goodwill. But there were no immediate signs of such a
move, although in his speech to the ceremony SPDC Chairman Gen.
Than Shwe praised democratic countries.

"They have high per-capita incomes, well-developed human
resources and they cooperate for national interests regardless of
partisan differences," he said to crowds watching the military
parade.

But he cautioned against moving towards democracy too quickly.

"In our country, we experienced chaos and instability when
multiparty democracy was put into practice right after
independence and before the nation had a chance to become
strong," Than Shwe said.

"Political transition will naturally require a higher degree
of sound preparation," he said.

Myanmar's government insists it is committed to building
democracy but has repeatedly said the process must not be rushed.
The NLD won national elections in 1990 by a landslide but has
never been allowed to govern.

Witnesses said security was tight on Tuesday at key spots
across the capital.

Myanmar's opposition celebrates March 27 as "Resistance Day"
in honor of independence leader Aung San who issued the call to
arms against the Japanese. Aung San was Suu Kyi's father, and is
revered in Myanmar.

The NLD told Reuters it would celebrate the anniversary with a
low-key ceremony at its headquarters. No diplomats or journalists
would be invited, an NLD leader said.

In another development, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart
Sathirathai said on Tuesday he will visit Myanmar on April 28 and
29 to discuss bilateral issues including the drugs crisis, ahead
of an ASEAN ministerial meeting there.

"I will also attend the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) ministers' retreat on April 30," he said. The ASEAN
ministerial, postponed from an original mid-April date, is yet to
be officially confirmed by Myanmar's military government.

As relations between Thailand and Myanmar languish at one of
their lowest ebbs, Surakiart said the two nations should work to
develop mutual trust and prevent niggling conflicts from spoiling
cordial ties.

"I think that's the principle that we have to agree upon, that
we must resolve and address each small conflict or dispute," he
said.

Referring to the closure of a busy border crossing after
clashes between the two national armies earlier this year, he
said it was not "neighborly" to "just shut down checkpoints or
revoke all concessions after one conflict".

Surakiart expressed confidence that his talks with Myanmar
would resolve the problems between the two ASEAN member nations.

The Thai minister is due to meet Myanmar's deputy foreign
minister Win Aung during the inaugural session of the East Asia-
Latin America Forum to be held in Santiago, Chile, on Thursday
and Friday.