| ANANTA |
Posted
on 03-May-02 02:38 PM
WORLD WAITING
Political sources said Suu Kyi's release appeared to have been held up by haggling over the terms of the deal.
She spent a previous spell in house arrest from 1989 to 1995, and her release then was marked with jubilant scenes as large crowds thronged the street outside her residence.
Diplomats say the junta wants to avoid a repeat, and has been trying to reach an agreement with Suu Kyi that she will keep a low profile after her release. They said this may be a sticking point in the talks to secure her freedom.
''The military regime is very reluctant for an unconditional release,'' Sann Aung, a minister in a shadow government set up by exiled opposition politicians, told Reuters in Bangkok.
''They're still bargaining.''
The release of the 56-year-old Nobel peace laureate is among the top demands of the international community, which has isolated Myanmar and imposed economic sanctions on the impoverished country in a bid to force political change.
The United States said this week it would welcome freedom for Suu Kyi but told the junta her release must be unconditional and would not automatically lead to a lifting of sanctions. The NLD has also said it wants her to be released with no restrictions on her movement.
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