*EPF305 07/23/2003
Transcript: Senator Advises Thailand to Seek Release of Aung San Suu Kyi
(Bill links U.S. aid to Thailand to its policy on Burma) (530)

The second most powerful Republican in the Senate says Thailand should be more concerned with securing the freedom of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi than with helping the Rangoon regime.

In remarks to the Senate July 22, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) drew Bangkok's attention to S. 1426, the fiscal year 2004 Foreign Operations appropriations bill.

S. 1426, McConnell said, conditions U.S. assistance to Thailand on a determination by the Secretary of State that it is supporting "the advancement of democracy in Burma and is taking action to sanction the military junta in Rangoon."

McConnell led the successful effort in the Senate to pass the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, which would ban Burmese exports to the United States.

During the debate on that legislation, McConnell warned that he would continue to bring up the issue of Burma, the imprisonment of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and Thailand's role in dealing with the military junta ruling Burma.

Following is the text of Senator McConnell's July 22 remarks from the Congressional Record:

(begin transcript)

THAILAND'S BUSINESS AS USUAL

Senate

July 22, 2003

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in the struggle for freedom in Burma, I am becoming increasingly convinced that Thailand is on the side of the representative junta in Rangoon.

To wit, the Foreign Minister of Thailand was recently quoted: "We are trying to find an exit for the Myanmar Government, ... also reduce pressure from the international community."

Instead of trying to find an "exit" for the repressive State Peace and Development Council, SPDC, Thailand should be trying to secure the release of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other democrats jailed in the wake of the brutal May 30 attack on the National League for Democracy, NLD.

Thailand's "business-as-usual" approach places that country at odds with other Association of Southeast Asian Nation, ASEAN, members -- including Malaysia. Given the SPDC's refusal to release Suu Kyi and other Burmese democrats, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir rightly commented that Burma could be expelled from ASEAN "as a last result."

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra must defend democracy in Burma and should join with Malaysia and other ASEAN members in holding the SPDC accountable for their actions.

Thailand should take note that I included a provision in S. 1426, the fiscal year 2004 Foreign Operations appropriations bill, that conditions United States assistance to that country on a determination by the Secretary of State that Thailand: one, supports the advancement of democracy in Burma and is taking action to sanction the military junta in Rangoon; two, is not hampering the delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in Thailand who have fled Burma; and three is not forcibly repatriating Burmese to Burma.

It is past time for Thailand to prove its commitment to the cause of freedom and the rule of law in Burma. The Thai Foreign Minister has an opportunity to set the record straight in Bali this week. He should not miss it.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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