Burmese junta vetoed plans for meeting with Suu Kyi

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Burma's military junta vetoed plans for a meeting with democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's visit this week, a senior official indicated in remarks published today.

"One of our hopes when we visited Burma was to meet Suu Kyi, if possible," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told the official Bernama news agency.

"I think the present environment does not enable us to see her because the Burmese side may not feel it is right when we make an official visit on their invitation, we want to see Suu Kyi," he said.

"I would love to see her but we understand whatever we do, as normally practised in Malaysia, we would not like it to be interpreted as trying to interfere in the domestic political affairs of a country."

Mahathir, a trusted friend and adviser to the junta, said before arriving in Rangoon on Sunday that he would not see Aung San Suu Kyi during the two-day trip, despite the Nobel peace laureate's reported request for a meeting.

Apparent snub

A Malaysian diplomatic source told AFP that a meeting had instead been arranged between Aung San Suu Kyi and Syed Hamid, but no such meeting took place.

Reacting to the apparent snub, U Lwin, the spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), said: "(Mahathir) was in this country several times, and he doesn't want to see her, he has never made the attempt.

"They are not interested in seeing us."

Syed Hamid said, however: "We made preparations. If it is possible, we would like to see (her). But when they want it just Burma-Malaysia, then definitely we cannot push the idea of wanting to see her."

Mahathir was given a warm welcome by Myanmar's junta, who see him as a valued advocate within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which it joined in 1997 under Kuala Lumpur's sponsorship.

Historic dialogue

His visit came as Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) was expected to embark on an historic political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi.

The two sides began talking in October 2000, in contacts brokered by veteran Malaysian diplomat and UN special envoy Razali Ismail, but the opposition leader has repeatedly complained the process is moving too slowly.

However, Mahathir endorsed the pace of the negotiations.

"While we uphold democracy and would like to see democracy practised in a country, we are also aware the process of change must be gradual," he said, warning that otherwise there could be "anarchy".

During his visit, Mahathir witnessed the signing of three agreements including an offshore oil exploration contract between Malaysia's Petronas and Burma's Energy Ministry.

Malaysia is the fourth largest investor in Burma after Singapore, Britain and Thailand, with total investments of RM2.23 billion.



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