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<title>CANADA CONDEMNS RECENT ACTIONS BY BURMESE REGIME</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>September 7, 2000 <em>(4:50 p.m. EDT)</em> No. 215</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>CANADA CONDEMNS RECENT ACTIONS BY BURMESE REGIME</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) Raymond
Chan today condemned recent actions taken by Burma's State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) against pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other National
League of Democracy (NLD) members. On Saturday, September 2, the Nobel laureate
was forced back to Rangoon, under house arrest, from a military roadblock where she
had been detained since August 24. She and other NLD members are currently being
held incommunicado by the SPDC, which has alleged that members of Aung San Suu
Kyi's party are involved in terrorist activities.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"Canada demands that Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her party be released and
permitted to meet with diplomatic representatives," said Mr. Axworthy. "We continue to
insist that the SPDC respect this leader's rights of freedom of movement and
association, and we also hold the regime responsible for the health and safety of all
detainees."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"We categorically reject allegations that the NLD has been engaging in terrorist activity,"
said Mr. Chan. "Aung San Suu Kyi and her party have consistently demonstrated a
willingness to engage in a substantive dialogue with SPDC officials, and there is no
evidence to link them to armed opposition groups operating outside the country."</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial">Debora Brown</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Jonathan Yendall</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1852</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
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