------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: October 24, 1997 Issue #852 HEADLINES: ========== REUTERS: SUU KYI ON 1ST POLITICAL TRIP SINCE RELEASE REUTERS: PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTER MET BURMA'S SUU KYI IMAGES ASIA: TRANSCRIPT OF SUU KYI'S PRESS BRIEFING SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET No. A-0179(I) ALTSEAN MEDIA RELEASE: LUNCH WITH SUU KYI IS NOT ENOUGH THE NATION: CRITICS UP IN ARMS OVER YADANA PIPELINE PLAN BKK POST: BURMA INVITED TO BANGKOK JEWELLERY FAIRS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- REUTERS: BURMA'S SUU KYI ON 1ST POLITICAL TRIP SINCE RELEASE October 23, 1997 RANGOON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi this week travelled on her first political trip outside the capital since being released from house arrest two years ago, opposition sources said on Thursday. A division-level official of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party said the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate went to a town on the outskirts of Rangoon on Tuesday to organise the youth NLD wing and speak to supporters. ``Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, accompanied by NLD Chairman U Tin Oo, central executive committee member...U Soe Myint and some elected NLD representatives, went to Thakata Township...on Tuesday morning,'' a divisional level NLD official told Reuters. He said Suu Kyi's trip went off without any interference from authorities. The NLD won a landslide victory in a 1990 election but the military government refused to recognise the results. Suu Kyi, who was officially released from six years of house arrest in July 1995, has been under tight surveillance since last December. Her visitors are limited, her telephone is cut and her movements restricted. She made several aborted attempts, including a widely publicised train trip to Mandalay, to leave Rangoon on political business after being released from house arrest. The trip to Mandalay was abandoned after the train broke down. She was advised by officials not to travel outside her lakeside home -- which has become the party's headquarters over the past two years -- for party work. The government has severely limited activities by the NLD, stopping several large party congresses, by arresting thousands of NLD officials over the past few years. Suu Kyi says the government has also prevented local party offices across the country from doing their work by pressuring NLD officials and threatening them with arrest. Authorities put up barricades blocking access to Suu Kyi's house and the road leading to it in late 1996. This put an end to popular weekend gatherings outside Suu Kyi's home which drew up to 10,000 people who gathered to hear Suu Kyi and other top NLD officials speak. Local analysts said Suu Kyi's visit to Thakata could be a sign of improved relations between the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and the NLD. ``We can say there is still hope for understanding to grow between the NLD and the SLORC,'' one analyst said. ``Maybe this is a sign of relaxation of the SLORC's control over the NLD.'' He noted that the SLORC allowed the NLD to hold a large party gathering at Suu Kyi's house in late September to mark the party's ninth anniversary. The meeting the previous year had been stymied by the government. ********************************************************** REUTERS: PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTER MET BURMA'S SUU KYI [slightly abridged] October 23, 1997 MANILA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon said on Thursday he had met with Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in her Rangoon home last week but declined to give details of their talks. ``I had a good lunch with the good lady,'' Siazon told the Senate finance committee during a public hearing on the government budget. He did not elaborate. Siazon is this year's chairman of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) standing committee and is believed to be the most senior ASEAN official to meet Suu Kyi since the group admitted Burma as a member in July. Siazon accompanied President Fidel Ramos on the Philippine leader's visit to Rangoon last week. Siazon told reporters that Rangoon's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and Suu Kyi's main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) needed to talk to solve the country's problems. ``They have to talk. They have to restart (the talks) even at the lower level. It's better that they are talking so that in the end they can find a Burmese solution to their own problems.'' ``Of course, in the beginning you ask for the moon,'' he added. [excerpts from related article] ------------------------------------------- BKK POST: SIAZON MET WITH SUU KYI IN RANGOON October 23, 1997 AP --Mr Siazon, who travelled to Burma with Philippine President Fidel Ramos and a delegation of government and business officials last week, met Ms Suu Kyi for lunch at her lakeside home, shortly after President Ramos had left for Laos. Mr Siazon was accompanied by Senator Alberto Romulo. Mr Ramos had requested permission from Burma's military government to see Ms Suu Kyi during his visit, but when the Burmese did not respond, he dropped the matter. But Southeast Asian diplomats in Rangoon confirmed that the meeting had taken place and said that, although it was termed a "social visit", they viewed it as a positive development. No details of the meeting were divulged and attempts to reach Ms Suu Kyi yesterday were unsuccessful. ******************************************************* IMAGES ASIA: TRANSCRIPT OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S PRESS BRIEFING - 9TH NLD CONGRESS September 27, 1997 From: sitthi@cm.ksc.co.th [BurmaNet Editor's Note - The English translation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's speech in Burmese appeared in the BurmaNet News on October 15, 1997. The speech below was delivered in English, as was the Question and Answer Session.] The press haven't been able to come but still we will consider this a press briefing, and also a briefing for the diplomatic representatives. We started our congress yesterday to mark the 9th anniversary of the founding of the NLD, and we continued until today, for two days. We started with the political report of the central executive committee of the party and than there were various other reports the youth wing, and the women's wing. There was an economic policy report, or you could call it an outline of an economic package if you like, and there were discussions on this paper by our various members here, and there were of course suggestions. Many speeches were made. Some of the speeches were, well were quite impressive. I think many strong feeling were expressed and I have had to, shall we say, reprimand our members because they have not met like this for seven years. I think they were rather moved by emotion and gave voice to all the resentments they had been harbouring for may years, and I pointed out to them that the policy of the NLD is that we will not go in for vindictiveness or revenge and we will not bear grudges. Our aim is to create a united, a truly united Burma in which every one can be secure because human rights and democratic rights are guaranteed. And we do not believe in a policy based on resentment or hatred of the other side as it were. But I think I can say very firmly that the majority, the great majority of the members of the NLD are not interested in revenge. Yes they gave voice today, some of them gave voice to their resentments because they have suffered a lot. It's only natural that they should feel resentful, but what is important is that these feelings of resentment or anger if you like, should not be translated into action. This is the duty of the central executive committee of the NLD and we are fully prepared to discharge our duty. We will never let our party be guided by thoughts of vengeance. There may be individuals who feel such emotions but our party will not be guided by these emotions. We will be guided by only one thing, the general good of our country. And when I say our country, I mean all of those who live in Burma, all citizens of Burma. We will not make distinctions between the members of the NLD and people who are not members. What we want to do is work for the good of all the citizens of our country. And when I say 'all our citizens' that includes SLORC as well. What we want is a nation where the members of SLORC today, and the members of the NLD and the rest of our people can all be secure because their basic rights are guaranteed and they know that there is rule of law in this country, and that they will never be treated unjustly, and that the government will truly care for their welfare. Because that is what a democratic government is about. When we say the democracy is government of the people, for the people, and by the people, it simply means a government which must work for the welfare of the people. Because it is obliged to do so, if it did not do so it will be removed in the next elections, democracy is the way of keeping peoples personal emotions in check. You can not build a healthy democracy by letting yourself be persuaded by personal emotions. You have to be guided by what is really the true welfare of the nation at large and I think the great majority of the members of the NLD understand this very clearly. What ever they may have expressed or however strongly they may have expressed their feelings of frustration, or their feelings that they have been dealt with unjustly, I can assure you that the NLD will never treat people unjustly. And we will never be guided by resentment or emotion in dealing with any body whether it is our own members or those who regard us as the opposition. The fact that we have been able to hold this meeting at all, in this way, is due in fact to the cooperation of the authorities to a large degree, I wish I could say 100% co-operation, I would like to be able to say that it was one hundred percent, but it was not quite a hundred percent, but still it was co-operation. We would appreciate that very much if they co-operate more, we appreciate that even more. We are ready to give out, to dole out lots and lots of appreciation at the right moment, and I hope this the sign of things to come. We regard it as a positive sign of the authorities that they have been far more cooperative for this congress then they have been with the last ones that we attempted to have. This started in May 1996. When we attempted to hold a party congress in May 1996, they put practically all our elected MPs under detention, I think only about a dozen were able to break loose from the wide spread arrests. And the second time we attempted it was the 27th of September 1996 then they simply shut off the road altogether and would not allow anybody to come in. We were not able to go ahead with the congress. In May 1996, we were able to go ahead with the congress but without our elected representatives. We had to change our program at the last moment and have a general party meeting made up of various township and division committees. We attempted another meeting in May of this year and once again of course we were shut off. We were not allowed to have this meeting. But this time September 1997, we have been able to hold our congress, not absolutely as we would have wished, but almost absolutely, and I think it is a great pity that there were these little hitches. Because I do not think the authorities would have lost anything by letting us go ahead with our plans completely, with out any kinds of obstacles. And we certainly would have been able to tell the world that the authorities co-operated with us all the way. Well, it wasn't all the way this time, but let's hope for the future, and I think that since we do appreciate, we truly appreciate that they have co-operated to this extent I hope they enjoyed the process of co-operation as much as we did. It's always so much better to be friends rather than enemies, and I don't think it can be enjoyable to think that one is surrounded by enemies, or one has to always has to be taking precautions against enemies. We should not be enemies, we all belong to the same country, we all want to be happy in this country. I do not see any reason why we should not be able to help each other. We cannot forget the past because there are valuable lessons to be drawn from the past, but that does not mean that we cannot forgive. We should not forget, in politics one should not forget. Because if we forget we will commit the same mistakes again and again, but we must be able to forgive because we all belong together and it is in this spirit that I would like to say that this congress has been a great success. It has been a great success, first of all because it has proved the adamantine quality of our members. Again and again they have suffered because they have tried to attend these congresses. Again and again they have risked imprisonment to come and show that they're keeping faith with the people of Burma. It is not keeping faith with our country but keeping faith with our people. Because our party is the party that has received the mandate of the people in 1990. The Burmese people voted for NLD because they believe the NLD would truly care for their welfare. And I think it is a great triumph that we have been able to demonstrate to the country and to the world that we are keeping faith with the people, that we take our responsibility very seriously. And we will continue to work for democracy as we have promised our people. Secondly, this congress has been a success because we have been able to have very frank valuable discussions. As I have said earlier some things were said that were very hard on some people and I think emotions spilled over a bit. But still within a democratic free world such displays of emotion need not lead to harm at all if it is done with in a constructive frame work and it will not be carried beyond that frame work. Thirdly, I think we can say this congress has been a success because it showed that cooperation between the authorities and the NLD can not lead to any harm it can only lead to good. Our people are very happy to be able to hold this congress. And I think the country and the international observers will take due notice of the fact that the authorities have tried to be cooperative and that they will give credit where credit is due. So we are very happy with the way this congress has gone that does not mean that we are not going to keep on trying for better conditions because we have to try for better conditions. One of the resolutions of the congress was for the immediate release of all political prisoners that is very important because many of the people in prison are suffer from ill health the earlier we achieve their freedom the better for them and for us and for the country. Among these prisoners of conscience are people who can contribute greatly to the rehabilitation of Burma to contribute to a nation where all our people feel secure and happy. On the whole, I think the NLD has every reason to be proud of our congress, the 9th anniversary of the founding of the NLD. And now I'm ready to answer questions. [Note: The following questions were fielded from approximately 15 diplomats who were able to attend the Congress, and also NLD members. The diplomats included representatives of the German, US, Australian, British, Japanese, and Thai embassies, and several representatives of United Nations bodies. Diplomats were forced to spend twenty minutes negotiating with authorities before they were allowed to attend. SLORC had pre-written letters for the diplomats, requesting that they not attend. SLORC authorities stipulated that diplomats attending the meeting could not fly the flags of their countries on their cars. Several representatives of the press and invited guests were physically prevented by SLORC authorities from attending the meeting. --Images Asia] Q. Do you think this cooperation... by the authorities indicates a change of heart on the part of the authorities towards the NLD? A. I hope so, as I said earlier in my speech to our congress there are only two kinds of people. I don't believe in good people and bad people, I only believe in those who are capable of learning and those who are not capable of learning and I hope very much that the authorities are the ones, the kind of people who are capable of learning, and that they have learned that cooperation is so much better than repression. Q. So you believe this time...? A. I hope this is the beginning of complete cooperation. I've always said I'm a cautious optimist. Are there any more questions? Q. A long string of articles in the newspapers it said that Uncle U Aung Shwe will be .[unclear].. and that he doesn't hold any of the power and you are the one who is controlling .[unclear].. and I want your reaction on that? A. Well, that's not quite true. I'm the general dogs body! I was saying to my youngest son who is visiting me at the moment and the other night when I was you know typing away at one of my papers, I said "Look at me, I'm the typist as well" and he said to me "You are the called the General Secretary, aren't you, you have to do all the general work!" so that's very good. It is absolutely not true. We work together collectively with the central executive committee and of course our chairman, as the chairman is the leader of the central executive committee has all the authority that a chairman normally would have. Q. About the first meeting between SLORC and Uncle Aung Shwe for the first time, why did Uncle Aung Shwe go to the meeting alone? A. At that time we did not quite understand what it was about. And as we always believe in keeping open door to negotiations. He thought that it would be a good idea to go, but unfortunately the words of Secretary One at that meeting led us to believe that......well..... "leading us to believe" is quite a soft way of putting it, it was quite clear from what he said that he was indicating that at least I, and perhaps U Tin Oo and U Kyi Maung as well would have to be left out of the negotiating process with the NLD. That of course is against the policy of the party. We decided already that in the future we would be very strict in sticking to the NLD mandate according to which the chairman and I must jointly handle all party matters of importance. Q. At the second meeting that didn't take place, are there arguments that the NLD should at least go along for the second meeting, what is your argument about that? A. Well, we were prepared to go along, but it was Uncle Aung Shwe who was not prepared to go along. We did say that central executive members U Soe Myint and U Lwin Tin should go. It was SLORC who did not accept that. Q. .....At the end of your speech this afternoon you said you were confident the NLD and SLORC will be able to go along together for the country for the future. What gave you that confidence? A. Because it is the will of the people and I think in the long run no group no organization no government can withstand the will of the people and it is the will of the people that there should be cooperation with SLORC and NLD in order to achieve the kind of situation we want for our country. Q. Apart from the difficulties that some of us had to come to you [the Congress] was there any other lack of cooperation [from the authorities]? A. Yesterday some of our party members were sent back, were not allowed in. And also today some of our guests and veteran statesmen were turned away on the pretext that they didn't have their national registration cards with them. I think that was quite unnecessary. Q. We wondered whether they were also delegates who were not allowed to participate because they were prevented from coming? A. Yes, I believe a lot of people in the Irrawaddy division were prevented from coming. As I understand it, some have even been detained. And I don't think (checking with party members in Burmese...), ... yes, just the Irrawaddy division. Apparently they relaxed the restrictions yesterday, when it was too late for them to make it! (laughing) Oh, some who were not able to come yesterday have been able to come today, so we appreciate that very much indeed. We're ready with the appreciation, they only have to do something to deserve it. Yesterday something funny - well a bit humorous happened. When I say it's a bit humorous the NLD has learned to cultivate a sense of humor, it's the only way we can survive. Three groups were taken away yesterday, three groups of people who were trying to get in, and one was taken to somewhere near Dagon Myo Thit, and another to a place beyond Dagon Myo Thit, but one group was taken to Yeh Weh cemetery (laughing). I really don't know why to Yeh Weh cemetery (laughter), but my opinion is that if they really don't like to see our people hanging around the streets, put them into the cars and bring them to this compound and I'll take care of them. Oh, apparently a correspondent from New Zealand was taken away in one of those groups. But they were all released, they were released in the cemetery, so to speak, and had to walk back. [Approximately 90 NLD members and guests were taken away by trucks on the first day of the Congress - Images Asia] Q. Any information on the flooding situation in the countryside? A. Well we of course have heard of bad floods especially in the Pegu division, and the rain, there has been quite a lot of rain the last week, and we are worried in case this has exacerbated the situation. We think it is important to recognize the extent of the seriousness of the situation with the floods, because the floods won't end with the floods, there will be epidemics to follow and there should be precautions taken, preparations should be made to deal with the aftermath of the floods. Q. About the floods, ...has the NLD...? A. Well, we do what we can for those who are within reach, but obviously we are not in a position to do anything on a national scale. We would like to do something, but frankly I would not like to do anything that would jeopardize the chances of the victims getting relief. If the NLD initiated any plan to give relief to the flood victims, it might lead the authorities to take action against such relief programs and the ones that suffer will be the victims. We don't want to do anything just for the sake of kudos. What we do we want to do it only if we think it will effectively help the victims. A. Are there any more questions? Well, you see a lot of what a meant by not 100% cooperation is the dearth of correspondents. Q. What could the next concrete manifestation of government goodwill or enhanced cooperation be? A. Well, of course the most concrete one would be genuine dialogue, but there are others things they could do such as removing the restrictions on placed on the NLD and releasing our political prisoners. I think this would create a very good atmosphere, and it would create an atmosphere of confidence. We do need to build up mutual confidence. Q. Do you have any indication that the barricades in front of your residence will come down? A. Not yet, but I'm wondering if they aren't getting tired of standing there. It's so unnecessary really. Q. Do you think anything... Well, I don't think anything, I don't know when they will remove it and you know what their intentions are, but I think the barricades are quite unnecessary. Q. Maybe for your security? A. For my security? Well, I don't think they keep correspondents out for my security. Because they're very, very keen on keeping out correspondents. Q. They are the government so they must take security... A. Perhaps they know more about you than I do, if they're trying to keep you out. Q. One resolution concerns ... the release of political prisoners. How many political prisoners do you think are still in jail? A. We still think that it is probably around the thousand mark. It's more or less been constant around the thousand mark, because some come out, some go in.... Any more questions? If there are no more questions, I would like to thank you very much for coming to our Congress, in spite of all the difficulties, and well, in spite of papers that didn't exist, in spite of everything, and I hope there will be more opportunities for you in the future to observe the activities of our party, so that you can know for yourselves what it is we are working for and how we are going about to achieve our goals. Thank you very much. (Applause) For further information regarding this speech please contact Images Asia. + - - - I - M - A - G - E - S - - A - S - I - A - - - + | | | As of November 1, 1997 you can reach Images Asia at | | our new email account: | | Please use this account for your future Images Asia | | correspondence. Thank you! | | | + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + ************************************************* SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET No. A-0179(I) [excerpts] October 23, 1997 From: OKKAR66127@AOL.COM PASSED AWAY DUE TO ACUTE CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE AND MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION U Kyaw Din age (58) of NLD Wakema Township who is serving (2) years prison sentence since July 24th 1997 for violation of the "Burma Criminal Act section 505 (B) of 1861 May" passed away on 20 October 5:30 pm at Wakema Township Hospital of Acute Pulmonary Oedema due to Acute Chronic Renal failure and malignant hypertension. According to his medical record and the test taken at the prison hospital U Kyaw Din was found to have hypertension and since his arrival at the prison he was given close medical treatment there and his hypertension was well controlled with treatment. However because of severe chronic renal failure, his lungs congestion developed and renal functions progressively poor and became severe Acute Pulmonary Oedema. In spite of all the necessary medical treatment U Kyaw Din passed away on 20 October, 1997. RESPONSE TO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACCUSATION This unsubstantiated accusation by A.I. is nothing surprising. During this time of the year (in the end of October) the anti-Myanmar Government elements routinely through the A.I. fabricate such stories. Actually, it has been deliberately created to influence the U.N. Secretary General's report to the 3rd. Committee on Human Rights Situation in Myanmar. Based on the report by the UNSG the 3rd. Committee will discuss the resolution on the Human Rights Situation in Myanmar. These anti-Myanmar government elements have playing this game very annoyingly but if somebody takes the time to really look into their strategy one can realize their true nature. DELEGATION LED BY DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PBANRDA LEAVES FOR MALAYSIA A delegation led by Deputy Minister for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs U Kyaw Tin left Yangon for Malaysia by air on 22 October to attend Inaugural Meeting of ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication. The meeting will be held in Malaysia from 22 to 24 October. FOUR MEMBERS OF KNU ARMED GROUP EXCHANGE ARMS FOR PEACE 1 member of KNU No. 7 Battalion and 3 members of KNU No. 2 Battalion exchanged their arms for peace at the units of local authorities on 9 and 11 of October respectively. ***************** ALTSEAN MEDIA RELEASE: LUNCH WITH SUU KYI IS NOT ENOUGH October 23, 1997 From: altsean@ksc.th.com Bangkok, Thurs: A network of Asean-based supporters for human rights and democracy in Burma today renewed their call to Asean to take a clearer role in facilitating a peaceful resolution to the country's woes. The Alternative Asean Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma) was responding to news reports that Philippines Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon met with Burmese democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon last week. "We are cautiously optimistic that the Mr Siazon has finally done what should have been done two years ago. All Asean member states should have immediately engaged with Ms Suu Kyi and the NLD upon her release from house arrest," emphasised Altsean-Burma Co-ordinator Ms Debbie Stothard. "However, it is outrageous that President Ramos, as the Philippines' head of state, had to bear the insult of being spurned in his request to meet Ms Suu Kyi. "It is high time that Asean member states got their act together to support the peoples of Burma in their movement for peace, human rights and democracy. Having lunch with Ms Suu Kyi is not enough. "The Slorc has clearly used Asean membership as a shield for continuing human rights abuses. It has also used on its orchestrated national convention to draft a new constitution as a tactic to delay and prevent the formation of a democratic, civilian government. "If Asean does not engage in concrete and meaningful measures now, it will have to resort to drastic damage control later," predicted Ms Stothard. Since, joining the regional grouping on July 23, the Slorc continued to perpetrate human rights violations and launched a military offensive against Karenni state. Opium, heroin and amphetamine production continue unchecked. Universities remain closed since December, however the military junta reopened schools in August. A L T S E A N - B U R M A ALTERNATIVE ASEAN NETWORK ON BURMA *tel: [662] 275 1811/693 4515 *fax: [662] 693 4515 *e-mail: altsean@ksc.th.com *********************************************** THE NATION: CRITICS UP IN ARMS OVER YADANA PIPELINE PLAN October 23, 1997 OPPONENTS of the Yadana gas pipeline burst out in protest yesterday in response to a Cabinet resolution allowing construction in a national park. An environmental group from Kanchanaburi province submitted a petition to Her Majesty the Queen seeking intervention to make the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PIT) halt construction of the project. Meanwhile, the Student Environment Club from 16 Institutes held a protest in front of Government House calling on the government to review its approval of the project, claiming it has not considered all the problems associated with it. The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a request from the Industry Ministry allowing the PIT to construct the pipeline through Sai Yok National Park in Kanchanaburi. According to the petition signed by Phinan Chotirosseranee, leader of the Kanchanaburi environmental group, the construction route will pass through fertile forest and an Al watershed area. "The project will impact Kanchanaburi villagers and the project owner, PTT, has definitely ignored us. The pipeline construction will destroy the forest which means the destruction of vast biological resources in the area," the petition stated. "The project is causing more and more conflicts and could result in violence. We, your people, would like to beg you to ask for a halt to the project's construction and for a review, including consideration of alternatives like changing the route of the pipeline," it states. The colourful protest in front of the Government House comprised protesters wearing various types of animal masks including monkeys and tigers. The protesters carried a sign saying "We, the animal council, want to protest the unacceptable Cabinet approval". ******************************************************* BKK POST: BURMA INVITED TO BANGKOK JEWELLERY FAIRS October 23, 1997 Woranuj Maneerungsee Exhibitors from Burma have been invited to participate in gems and jewellery fairs in Bangkok, according to Rachane Potjanasunton, deputy director-general of the Export Promotion Department. Mr Rachane said Thailand could collaborate with Burma to promote the gems and jewellery industries of both countries. Burma is a major source of precious stones, and gems and jewellery are among the country's top 10 export products. On Monday a Burmese trade mission led by Brig-Gen Maung Maung, secretary of Myanmar Investment, visited Bangkok. Mr Rachane said the two sides also talked about cooperation in the wooden furniture industry, since Burma has the raw materials and Thailand has the production skills and facilities. As a new member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Burma is working to open its market for other Asean members under the Asean Free Trade Area (Afta) agreement, Mr Rachane said. As a result, he said, there are god opportunities for Thai businesses to trade and invest in Burma. "Burma is an interesting market for businessmen, and a large market with nearly 50 million population." Sriwat Suwarn, the Thai minister counsellor (commercial) in Burma, said the Burmese government is working to offer more incentives to attract foreign investors. He said that investment in agribusiness had the strongest potential, citing canned vegetables, fruit and seafood, followed by wooden furniture and construction material. Trade between the two countries was worth 11 billion baht in 1996. Thailand had a trade surplus of 4.7 billion products, chemicals, dairy products, motorcycles and parts, pharmaceutical products, plastic pellets and apparel to Burma. Imports consist mainly of wood and logs. ********************************************