Prime minister says national conference is planned
Burma's new prime minister told RFA's Burmese service that the junta is"preparing" to convene a new National Assembly that will include thecountry's ethnic minorities. But Khin Nyunt, whose country is likely todominate this week's ASEAN summit in Bali, gave no details and made nopromises regarding Burma's worsening political stalemate.
ASEAN leaders�who are set to meet Oct. 7-8 and generally avoid commenting oneach other's internal affairs�have called on the regime in Rangoon torelease Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, moved from detention to housearrest after major surgery. Khin Nyunt last month unveiled a seven-point"roadmap" to democracy in the military-run state, which includes free andfair elections to be held under a new constitution. He has yet to unveil anyspecific plans.
Asked in Bali when the junta would convene a new National Assembly, KhinNyunt replied: "We are preparing, preparing." On whether Burma's minorityethnic groups would be included, he said: "We are preparing so thateverybody can participate."
Burma, which is due to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2006, has said it iswilling to explain its internal situation to the ASEAN summit. But the juntais unlikely to experience a very rough ride. Cambodian PrimeMinister Hun Sen said this week he would press Khin Nyunt to move towarddemocracy, if the issue came up. His Thai counterpart, Thaksin Shinawatra,declined to back sanctions on Burma, saying the Southeast Asianway was to persuade rather than dictate.
Malaysia said Burma's troubles shouldn't overshadow the summit's otherbusiness. "We have got lots of agenda to tackle and I am sure the leaderswill focus on the agenda. It should not overwhelm the corereason for us to have the summit this time," Foreign Minister Syed HamidAlbar told reporters.
U.N. special envoy Razali Ismail made a three-day visit to Burma lastweek, during which he held meetings with military leaders in Rangoon andAung San Suu Kyi. But his trip�seen by the United Nations as a last windowof opportunity�failed to win any assurances or re-start the reconciliationprocess launched in October 2000.
Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested after a government-led ambush on her motorcadeon May 30 in the north of the country, in which as many as 100 people died,and an unknown number of women were raped, according to eyewitnesstestimonies recorded for RFA's Burmese service.
Tin Oo and other senior opposition members remain in detention, and Aung SanSuu Kyi's lakeside home is still under tight security.