International   

Suu Kyi to be invited to constitution talks

Aung San Suu Kyi

BANGKOK, APRIL 3. Myanmar's military Government will free the Opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, by May 17 and invite her party to join a constitutional convention, the country's Foreign Minister, Win Aung, said on Saturday.

He made the announcement in an interview with Japan's NHK television network and Thailand's iTV channel soon after arriving in Bangkok for talks with the Thai Foreign Minister, Surakiart Sathirathai.

However, speaking to reporters later, Mr. Win Aung refused to confirm Ms Suu Kyi's release. ``I am not in a position to inform you right now about it,'' he said.

``The problem of Aung San Suu Kyi will be taken care of,'' he added. ``We don't have any hate, any animosity ... against Suu Kyi.''

In the interview with the TV networks, Mr. Win Aung said Ms. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will be invited to attend the constitution-drafting National Convention, which the junta has said will begin on May 17. Asked if Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, will be released before the event, he said: ``Yes, May 17.'' Asked to give an exact date for her release, he said, ``It is too early to say.''

Myanmar does not currently have a constitution. The junta first organised a National Convention to draft a constitution in 1993, but suspended it in 1996 after Ms Suu Kyi's party walked out, saying it was being forced to rubber-stamp the junta's decisions. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Southern States | Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Uzbekistan seeks details from Pakistan on captured militants
• Powell admits evidence may be wrong
• Suu Kyi to be invited to constitution talks
• Terror alert level raised in U.S.
• Fingerprinting regime extended
• `Shed multiculturalism'
• Junk food shrinks Americans
• Bremer hands over second Ministry
• `Rail bomb matches Madrid explosives'
• Pentagon sending broken soldiers back into battle
• Pakistan appreciates PM's statement
• Indian-origin voters in South Africa in a fix
• Rabbi against Krishna temple in Moscow

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu