At the China-brokered talks with Myanmar leaders this week, US officials were "clear and direct" in demanding the release of the opposition leader and thousands of other political prisoners in Myanmar. Myanmar requested the meeting and Beijing, instead of Yangon, was chosen as the venue because the junta refused to meet a key condition by Washington -- allow US officials to first meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent 11 of the past 18 years under house arrest, Casey said.

The picture is clear, SPDC is trying to build up relation with US and the West behind the screen no matter what it has made a loud mouth. SPDC want to hold the power, in the meantime they want respect and the money from the world.

SPDC seldom complaint in their news papers that why can't they enjoy the same treatment as the late General Ne Win of Burma. General Ne Wins was a dictator (same with them), but implemented one party socialist and applied close door economic policy. Crushed oppositions brutally (same with them). But the west world was OK with General Ne Win, Queen Elizabeth had tea with him, US governments trained Burmese Military personals and gave various financial aids. U Ne Win can go to everywhere at anytime he desired. Had jewelry shops in London and Paris, personal business with German arm company and had bank accounts in Geneva. His children were traveling around the world while others has almost no chance restrictions to get a passport.

They (SPDC) said they are the same dictator but with multiparty system and open door policy. Not Socialist anymore. Trying to build capitalist country. They want the world to forget about DASSK, NLD and 1990 election. They will draw the constitution for their own benefit and the world must appreciate it as improvements of democratic reforms.
The monetary associations must pump money to their bank accounts as loans and aids. And plus, red carpeted respects when ever they travel abroad specially to the west. Why not them? They (SPDC) think they are better than General Ne Win's BSPP government in their own theory.

It is obvious that SPDC is dreaming of being 1970s Suharto's Indonesian style dictatorship and also international recognition. They don't care UN envoys and ASEAN. They had corrupted Razalli, Gambari, Thacksin and Mahathir with business opportunities.

They really want US and the West.

They want, but they will not get, at least European Union

I am sure that everybody needs everybody.

In order to be back as we were before, we sure will need all the cooperations we have.

It has been some times since the US and EU sanctioned but I still see BIG companies LIKE TOTAL CFP (France) Ivan Hoe (CAnada)among others western companies still operating and doing business in Myanmar.


HOW COME???? It showed that there is still loop holes and the west still need Myanmar also.

Truthseeker

The French government applies sanctions against the military junta. But the commercial societies are free to go to Burma without any help from the government. The problem for Total is that they invested a lot BEFORE THE SANCTIONS, so they are traped : either to continue their economic job, either to loose everything for political reason.

A question is, for instance in tourism : is the money gotten only to the military or shared with the people of the country ?

In 1997, the EU asked the Asean to postpon the adhesion of Burma, but at that time, influenced by Mahathir they refused.

Here are some of the facts: COMPARISON THE EARNING GENERATE BY TOURISM AND OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

According to the statistics, tourist arrivals in Myanmar have increased annually in the past five years with 660,206 in the fiscal year of 2005-06 which ended in March.
Of the tourists traveling to Myanmar in 2005-06, cross-border ones accounted for the majority with 427,980, while 227,300 entered through Yangon check point and 4,918 through Mandalay and Bagan's.
http://english.people.com.cn/200610/09/eng20061009_310150.html

By my calculation (Though it is not accurate but AT LEAST you can have some idea)

Visa fees is US10 for each tourist coming through Yangon, Mandalay check point
232,218 x 20 = 4,644,360 and for cross border revenue 427,980 x 10 = 4,279,800

Totaling US$ 8,924,160,
Apart from that very little will go directly into the Government coffers becos most of the tourist travel by private airlines, private hotels and private transports ETC. SO IT MEANS THAT PART OF THE MONEY SPENT BY THE TOURIST GOES TO THE PEOPLE WHO IS IN THE TOURISM BUSINESS

BUT I DID NOT SEE ANY MONEY GOES TO THE PEOPLE EXCEPT SALARY TO THOSE WHO ARE WORKING IN THE OIL COMPANY.

IF YOU COMPARE THIS TO THE MONEY EARNED FROM OIL AND GAS, TOURISM IS NOTHING, YES, NOTHING AT ALL.

SEE AND READ THE FOLLOWINGS to compare by yourself.
Myanmar Oil and Gas dominates exports, June 4, 2007
YANGON, Myanmar --State-run Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise accounted for more than 40 percent of the country's exports for the fiscal year through March, a local newspaper said Monday.
Total trade for the year rose 43 percent to a record $7.93 billion despite facing economic sanctions from the United States and Europe, the Myanmar Times reported, citing government officials.
Myanmar Oil and Gas topped export earnings with $2.16 billion from gas sales to Thailand, accounting for 43 percent of total exports, double the $1.08 billion from the same period a year earlier.
Other top exporters included the state-owned Timber Enterprise with $519 million earned, followed by the Gems Enterprise with $296.9 million, and Myanmar Ivanhoe Copper Co. -- formerly a joint venture between Canada's Ivanhoe Mines and the Ministry of Mines -- earning $106.6 million. Ivanhoe's part of the venture is now held by an independent trust pending its sale.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2007/06/04/ myanmar_oil_and_gas_dominates_exports_1180978675/


Oil, gas sector dominates foreign investment in Myanmar
http://english.people.com.cn/200604/10/eng20060410_257291.html

Some of the interesting facts about Oil and Gas exploration in Myanmar
http://www.oilonline.com/news/features/oe/20040201.Myanmar_.13504.asp

Foreign investment in Myanmar reaches US$7.76 bln
From the regional point of view, the foreign investment was dominated by Southeast Asian countries with a total of 3.964 billion, in which Singapore stood first, followed by Thailand and Malaysia.
The second largest investor in terms of country group went to the West bloc countries with a total of 2.668 billion dollars, in which Britain stood atop, followed by France (470.37 million dollars), the United States (243.56 million) and the Netherlands ( 238 million).
In the fiscal year of 2004-05 which ended in March, Myanmar produced 7.48 million barrels of crude oil and 10.69 billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas. Gas export from the two offshore gas fields of Yadana and Yetagun during the year went to 9.5 BCM, earning in total 1 billion US dollars mainly through the export of gas to Thailand under production sharing basis with foreign companies from Thailand, France, the United States, Britain, Malaysia and Japan.
South Korea's Daewoo, Thailand's PTTEP, Malaysia's Petronas, France's TOTAL, the U.S. UNOCAL, Britain's Premier and Japan's Nippon stood as major investors in Myanmar's oil and gas sector. Others are from Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia and India.
http://english.people.com.cn/200601/10/eng20060110_234270.html

truthseeker

Ouah ! Ttruhseeker, you knows a lot, it's fantastic.

As long I was part of thinktanks for the French government, I pressed to sanctions and for ASSK to be Nobel Price.

The main obstacle is not US or EU, but Asean. For that two main reasons :

1) The 1976 first Asean leaders meeting end by an declaration which said that no country will interfere in the internal affairs of a member.

2)Some Asean countries, mainly Thailand and Singapore have big ineconomic interests in Burma. So it will be difficult to Indonesia to promote democracy as the basic of this aera in the future charter of Asean.

Dear Jaques,

Thanks for your complimentary but I knows nothing but just seeking the truth.

I am just a layman and is not in a position to blame / or advise anybody I also know that my words will not even make a ripple but just trying to show the real situation by cutting and pasting.

As you know, business has no relatives, nobody and as long as there is an opportunity, businessmen will be there, sanction or not.

If companies from the sanctioned imposed countries are doing business in our country, I see no reason why others countries should stay away from it.

With all the investment invested in Myanmar, IT CLEARLY SHOWED THAT BUSINESS IN MYANMAR IS TOO HUGE TO BE IGNORED.

I found the following interesting articles on FRANCE

Embargo busting?
France has continued to export military equipment to countries subject to EU arms embargoes, including Myanmar (Burma), Sudan and the People's Republic of China. This shows that successive French governments have not abided by their commitments to implement arms embargoes effectively, despite official policy requiring them to respect arms embargoes imposed by the EU.

French exports to Myanmar (Burma)
Since 1996, there has been an EU arms embargo on Myanmar (Burma). In April 2001 the EU extended the embargo, and confirmed the embargo on the export of arms and military equipment from EU member states. Yet, according to official data in the UN Commodity trade database (UN Comtrade), France made shipments of equipment within the category "bombs, grenades, ammunition, mines, and others" (930690) to Myanmar (Burma) in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

The French government should provide specific details of what exactly was exported to Myanmar (Burma). The categories of munitions listed above raise serious concerns regarding whether or not the French government has enforced the EU embargo on military exports to that country or fulfilled its obligations under the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e& id=0087DBCEF8C8736880256FB300689A9A

Truthseeker

I have never been said about french military sails to Burma, but it looks like it was before the sanctions.

Dear Truthseeker

Forgive and forget my last reply written too quickly.

I confused 1990 and 2000

I thank that only China sail weaponry to Burma and I hope that my country is no more doing that

SPDC or Myanmar's generals don't need US and the west however they certainly need their over 50 years-forefathers PRC-CHINESE Govt..

Nomatter what they need China's help, Sooner or later Myanmar's Generals "ALI BABAS" will face the same fate as their longtime-close friends:"Chan Doo Wan, Ferdinand Marcos,Suharto, Nicolae Ceausescu.