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best way of influencing Indonesia on human rights issues: as with China, they needed to be exposed to outside influences as a way of improving their approach. But he could not predict what view a new UK
government might take.
Burma
27. Herr Schlagintweit found the SLORC's approach reprehensible. They were settling old scores in a brutal way. But breaking diplomatic relations, or expelling Burma from the UN, was not the answer. Perhaps more should be done to help refugees and exiles eg through scholarship programmes?
28. Sir J Coles agreed that the SLORC's behaviour was appalling. There were encouraging signs that the ASEAN view was becoming more critical. But the key was to work on the Chinese and Japanese to use their influence. He had pressed the Chinese MFA's Director for Asian Affairs recently suggesting in particular that they try to bring about the release of Aung San Suu Kyi. Behind their stock line
of "non-interference in others' internal affairs" he detected some
willingness to consider what they could do.
29. Herr Schlagintweit sought views on the prospects for internal change in Burma, citing rumours that younger officers were disaffected. He wondered how effectively the SLORC controlled the
country, given the offensives on the Bangladesh and Thai border
areas. Sir John Coles said it was difficult to assess the internal
situation. There were recurrent rumours of discontent in the
military, but the reasons were unclear. The conflicts between the regime in Rangoon and the minority peoples (Karen and others) had
been running for decades. Neither the nor the Thais wished to come
into direct conflict on their border. There would be continuing
difficulties with Bangladesh. But the SLORC's main aim was to retain and strengthen its own grip on power.
SLORC
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