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.