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Will Bush Discuss Aung San Suu Kyi's Plight at APEC Summit?

Aired October 19, 2003 - 11:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A troubling human rights issue is not likely to be in the spotlight when President Bush and other world leaders sit down for the APEC summit. But the issue has not gone unnoticed by Mr. Bush. It involves the plight of an opposition leader in Thailand's neighbor, Myanmar. The story from Bangkok bureau chief Tom Mintier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM MINTIER, CNN BANGKOK BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): She may not be on the agenda at the APEC summit in Bangkok, but Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi most definitely will be discussed. During an interview with Thai television before he left for the summit, U.S. President George W. Bush says Suu Kyi is on his agenda. Mr. Bush's National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, says the United States will have discussions at APEC about promoting democracy in Myanmar.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Absolutely and also about the fate of Aung San Suu Kyi. Because we have been in constant contact with the U.N. representative about this.

MINTIER: The plight of Suu Kyi is discussed regularly by ASEAN. At this meeting in Cambodia last June, the group went so far as to publicly express its displeasure with the continued detention of Suu Kyi. Myanmar's foreign minister, during a CNN interview on the sidelines of that meeting, claimed that his country wanted a change in the situation.

U WIN AUNG, MYANMAR FOREIGN MINISTER: We are working to get the situation back onto the right track and we would like to see Myanmar moving forward again.

MINTIER: But Suu Kyi remains under what is described as house arrest at her home in Yangon following a week's hospitalization and surgery. Allowed to go home from the hospital, but still not free. Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra believes that taking a hard line with Myanmar is not a good idea.

THAKSIN SHINAWATRA, THAI PRIME MINISTER: But we should not tell them to do this, not to do that, because it's their country. They have their own dignity and sovereignty.

MINTIER: Behind the scenes, Thailand and other ASEAN members have been quietly urging Myanmar to release the Nobel peace laureate. Two ASEAN delegations have visited Yangon in the past two months. Neither were successful in securing Suu Kyi's freedom. Although the APEC summit doesn't have the plight of Suu Kyi on the agenda, there's no doubt that in bilateral meetings, especially with the U.S. president, the matter most certainly will be brought up.

Tom Mintier, CNN, Bangkok.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Summit?>


Aired October 19, 2003 - 11:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A troubling human rights issue is not likely to be in the spotlight when President Bush and other world leaders sit down for the APEC summit. But the issue has not gone unnoticed by Mr. Bush. It involves the plight of an opposition leader in Thailand's neighbor, Myanmar. The story from Bangkok bureau chief Tom Mintier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM MINTIER, CNN BANGKOK BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): She may not be on the agenda at the APEC summit in Bangkok, but Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi most definitely will be discussed. During an interview with Thai television before he left for the summit, U.S. President George W. Bush says Suu Kyi is on his agenda. Mr. Bush's National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, says the United States will have discussions at APEC about promoting democracy in Myanmar.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Absolutely and also about the fate of Aung San Suu Kyi. Because we have been in constant contact with the U.N. representative about this.

MINTIER: The plight of Suu Kyi is discussed regularly by ASEAN. At this meeting in Cambodia last June, the group went so far as to publicly express its displeasure with the continued detention of Suu Kyi. Myanmar's foreign minister, during a CNN interview on the sidelines of that meeting, claimed that his country wanted a change in the situation.

U WIN AUNG, MYANMAR FOREIGN MINISTER: We are working to get the situation back onto the right track and we would like to see Myanmar moving forward again.

MINTIER: But Suu Kyi remains under what is described as house arrest at her home in Yangon following a week's hospitalization and surgery. Allowed to go home from the hospital, but still not free. Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra believes that taking a hard line with Myanmar is not a good idea.

THAKSIN SHINAWATRA, THAI PRIME MINISTER: But we should not tell them to do this, not to do that, because it's their country. They have their own dignity and sovereignty.

MINTIER: Behind the scenes, Thailand and other ASEAN members have been quietly urging Myanmar to release the Nobel peace laureate. Two ASEAN delegations have visited Yangon in the past two months. Neither were successful in securing Suu Kyi's freedom. Although the APEC summit doesn't have the plight of Suu Kyi on the agenda, there's no doubt that in bilateral meetings, especially with the U.S. president, the matter most certainly will be brought up.

Tom Mintier, CNN, Bangkok.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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