WannaGo Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 Hillary's starting to put the pressure on Myanmar now, too. I know it's the language of diplomacy, but it all this talk about "internal dialogue" sure seems...inadequate. SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged Myanmar to begin planning for its 2010 elections and said Southeast Asian nations could play an important role in ensuring the vote is "free, fair and credible." Clinton, speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the APEC meetings in Singapore, said Washington would like to see the reclusive military-led government of the former Burma begin internal consultations soon about the country's political future. "We're seeking ... a process inside Burma that would inspire a dialogue among all of the stakeholders so that there could be a growing consensus within Burma itself about the way forward," she said. Clinton's remarks came a week after U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell traveled to Myanmar on Washington's highest-level visit to the country in 14 years... ...U.S. officials said they hoped Myanmar's leaders would begin a dialogue soon with internal groups that have an interest in the country's political future. "That dialogue has to be an open dialogue that includes internal stakeholders," one State Department official said. "We would very much like to see ... not just the handpicked parties of the government, but also the ethnic groups, the NLD and the so-called third-way groups." The official said the United States had begun consultations on Myanmar with India, China, Thailand and other neighboring nations with an interest in Myanmar's stability. The official said Washington hoped China would encourage Myanmar to launch an internal dialogue. "China has a powerful interest in ensuring Burma remains a stable country," he said. More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 I hope Myanmar can have fair elections. I think the generals are positioning themselves to hold power. When I in Burma last year, I saw tables and people outside the place I was staying. I asked what was going on. I was told they were registering voters. According to the person I spoke with, it was a difficult process to complete for the average common person. I imagine it was probably something like the voting requirements for blacks in the Deep South, years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaGo Posted November 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2009 I hope Myanmar can have fair elections. I think the generals are positioning themselves to hold power.Any government controlled by the military has a serious credibility problem. If they truly were serious about securing the country's future, they would restore civilian rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted November 13, 2009 Report Share Posted November 13, 2009 Any government controlled by the military has a serious credibility problem. If they truly were serious about securing the country's future, they would restore civilian rule. I do not think they want to give up power. My opinion is they want it to appear that they are having open and free elections to appease the world community, but want to still be in control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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