Burma Insight: 19 May 2011

Yangon, May 19 -- After two-hour long meeting with General Secretary of the disbanded National League for Democracy ( NLD ) Aung San Suu Kyi this evening at her residence in Yangon, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Joseph Y. Yun of the US government dubbed his talks with the democracy icon as “very valuable meeting, which has covered many grounds.”

Joseph Yun, who separately met and held talks with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin and Deputy Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw ( House of Representatives ) U Nanda Kyaw Swa in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, refused to give details on these talks.

Commenting on these talks with these above two Myanmar officials, Joseph Yun merely said: “In accordance with the Washington’s policy of engagement I and these officials have tried to find common grounds.”

Asked by local-based foreign correspondents, democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said: “In my talks with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, he told me that he had hoped for tangible progress and the release of political prisoners. But then he said contrary to his hopes, political prisoners have not been released.”

“Out of 14,758 prisoners released from various prisons throughout Myanmar as a result of amnesty order, only 55 happen to be political prisoners. Out of these 55 persons, only 27 are from the NLD,” Aung San Suu Kyi disclosed driving the home the point that she did not consider this as the real amnesty.

“If it is the real amnesty, all should be released,” Aung San Suu Kyi added.

On the engagement policy being pursued by the United States, Aung San Suu Kyi said: “I have confidence in such a policy because this is the only way to seek for solution between the two who hold different opinions.”

When asked about the recent renewal of sanctions by the United States on Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi replied: “Well, I understand why they have decided to renew the sanctions because they do not think that there have been sufficient changes in Burma and thus renewing sanctions is very much in line with US policy.”

“I believe sanctions would be lifted by the US only when they think there have been sufficient changes for the better in this country,” Aung San Suu Kyi said.

Joseph Yun, who has held talks with Secretary General Htay Oo of ruling party namely Union Solidarity and Development Party ( USDP ) in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, is scheduled to hold talks with other political parties tomorrow. He is due to depart Yangon on Saturday.

http://www.bdcburma.org/NewsDetails.asp?id=842