The Thai-based Burmese pro-democracy umbrella group the National Council of the Union of Burma’s General Secretary U Maung Maung who attended the recently concluded Democratic National Convention in Boston says he had a wonderful experience there.
He said he attended the Democratic Convention at the invitation of the National Democratic Leadership group and was briefed on the Kerry Campaign’s foreign policy objectives.
U Maung Maung said democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, on his web site, stated that he has met Burma’s democracy leader and Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and that he would support the democratic cause in the military-ruled nation.
Moreover, the NCUB General Secretary says it is also encouraging to note that former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who is very conversant with the democratic movement in Burma, is on the DNC Foreign Policy Advisers’ team.
U Maung Maung also told VOA Burmese Service that the NCUB’s main objective is to bring about talks – a tri-partite one – among the political opposition including the National League for Democracy, the nationalities and the military. He said the ruling military’s so-called National Convention and the Seven-step Road Map for national reconciliation will do no good.
Regarding the cease-fire talks between a member group of the National Council of the Union of Burma and Rangoon, U Maung Maung says it is considered a matter of individual action every member has a right to exercise. However, he stresses that political talks would have a different meaning and needs a different approach.
The NCUB General Secretary has no comments to make, on behalf of his group, on the recent visit to Burma by Dr. Zarni of the U.S.-based Free Burma Coalition. Nevertheless, as an individual U Maung Maung says he considers this issue a purely individual action on the part of Dr. Zarni and he has every right to do whatever he likes.