Myanmar press mocks bank's bid

Myanmar press mocks bank's bid

YANGON (AP): Myanmar's state-run newspapers said on Friday the government could not be bought off with a World Bank offer of US$1 billion in aid to open a dialog with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar's military government has been officially silent on the offer, which was revealed last month, but commentaries in the military-controlled press are believed to reflect the thinking of at least some members of the government.

The commentary in the New Light of Myanmar questioned who would benefit from spending the $1 billion to install "bogadaw", or the wife of a white alien, on the political stage.

Suu Kyi is married to a British academic, which the military rulers have said disqualifies her from political office or becoming a national leader.

The United States charge d'affaires in Yangon, Kent Wiedemann, said on Voice of America radio on Thursday that the U.S. would help fund the World Bank assistance.