Mai Soon Kha : News

SINGAPORE — 11 November, 2009 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has urged China and India to push Myanmar toward democracy.

Clinton says "we need a broad response by the nations in the region" to the situation in Myanmar, which has been under military rule since 1962.

She is in Singapore to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings ahead of the group's summit this weekend.

She told reporters Wednesday that China has an opportunity to play an important role.

China is Myanmar's biggest ally, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has long been trying to persuade the Myanmar junta to allow democracy.

Clinton said countries must persuade the junta to have free fair elections by 2010.

Myanmar transforms ethnic minority armies into border guard forces
YANGON - 11 November, 2009 Myanmar's military junta has persuaded two ethnic minority armies to transform themselves into "border guard forces," an important step toward holding a peaceful general election next year, state media claimed Wednesday. Ceremonies presided over by Myanmar generals were held Sunday to officially convert the armies for the Kachin ethnic minority in the northernmost state of Kachin and the Kayah ethnic group in the eastern state of Kayah, The New Light of Myanmar reported.

Myanmar Airline Reinforces International Flights
YANGON 11 November, 2009 -- The Myanmar Airway International (MAI) has reinforced its international flights with three more new aircraft, to expand its flight services, sources with the airline said on Wednesday.

These aircraft will be added to its flight services to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bodh Gaya, a city in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar.

Myanmar junta chief to visit Sri Lanka
COLOMBO:10 November, 2009 Myanmar's junta leader General Than Shwe will visit Sri Lanka this week for bilateral talks and to tour Buddhist shrines, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The reclusive leader will arrive on Thursday at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, a ministry official said, asking not to be named because she was not authorised to speak to the media.

Myanmar will no longer dictate ASEAN ties
WASHINGTON: The United States said on Monday it would no longer allow its row with Myanmar to hold its ties with Southeast Asia hostage, as President Barack Obama geared up for his debut official visit to the region. Obama is due to hold the first-ever meeting between a US president and leaders of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members, including Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein, on Sunday in Singapore.

Burma's junta in a vise
Bangkok, Thailand - The military junta of Burma (Myanmar) has been busy consolidating control ahead of 2010 elections. Last month it upheld a sentence giving opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi 18 more months of house arrest, ignoring US calls for her release and its rare offer to engage the pariah regime. But the government still struggles to quell opposition among ethnic insurgency groups – it has cease-fire agreements with 17 of them – in the country's north and east.

Can Campbell-Marciel Mission Make a Breakthrough in Burma?
Compelled by crushing sanctions and crumbling economy, the Burmese (Myanmar if you want the present day official word for Burma) the unprofessional military junta is left with no option but to turn to the west for deliverance. No surprise therefore that Senior-General Than Shwe is looking for opportunities to mend fences with the US in particular and in the process gain a little bit of legitimacy to his rule.

Nationality Verificationof Burmese Migrants
The Thai Government recently reiterated its policy to formalise the status of around 2 million migrants from Burma working here. Nationality verification (NV) is apparently required because these migrants left Burma without permission and entered Thailand "illegally". What with an abundance of brokers assisting them, and the fact that wide swathes of the Thai economy remain reliant on them, it's easy to get in at a cost.

Envoy says US ready to improve Myanmar ties
BANGKOK - Washington is ready to boost ties with Myanmar but will not lift sanctions until there is progress on democracy, a US diplomat said Thursday after the highest-level talks with the ruling junta in years. US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and his deputy Scot Marciel held a rare meeting with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Prime Minister Thein Sein during their two-day visit which ended Wednesday.