TNAG-2241-FCO40-3222-Asia-Pacific-Economic-Cooperation-(APEC)-1991 — Page 86

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BUR

I. ALSO FEEL COMPELLED TO MENTION THE CURRENT SITUATION IN

THE RESULTS OF THE MAY 1990 ELECTIONS REVEALED THAT THE

BURMESE PEOPLE ARE AS MUCH A PART OF THE WORLDWIDE TREND

TOWARDS POLITICAL REFORM AND DEMOCRACY AS ARE THE PEOPLE OF

KOREA, THE PHILIPPINES, MONGOLIA OR EASTERN EUROPE. TO THEIR CREDIT, THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES PROVIDED THE PEOPLE OF BURMA

LAST SPRING A VOICE TO EXPRESS THEIR POLITICAL WILL. YET IN

SUBSEQUENT MONTHS, THE STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL

(SLORC) HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE UNAMBIGUOUS REJECTION OF

MILITARY RULE AND THE DEEP DESIRE OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE FOR

CIVILIAN, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.

WE, AND MUCH OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY ARE DEEPLY TROUBLED BY

THE FAILURE OF THE BURMESE AUTHORITIES TO HONOR THE OUTCOME OF

THE SPRING ELECTIONS. THE INCREASINGLY VIOLENT REPRESSION OF

DISSENT IN BURMA, INCLUDING NOW THE ATTEMPT TO REPRESS THE

RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, IS A HARBINGER OF EVEN MORE DIFFICULT

TIMES AHEAD. FULFILLING THE ELECTORAL MANDATE IS THE ONLY WAY

THE SLORC CAN AVOID A FUTURE OF DOMESTIC INSTABILITY AND

INTERNATIONAL SELF-ISOLATION.

ASIA/PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC)

OUR DEFENSE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE HELPED TO SECURE EAST ASIA'S

ECONOMIC DYNAMISM, TURNING THE REGION INTO ONE OF THE ENGINES

OF WORLD GROWTH AND FORGING A $300 BILLION ANNUAL TWO-WAY TRADE

BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE NATIONS OF THE PACIFIC RIM. YET IT IS

ECONOMICS, NOT SECURITY, THAT HOLDS THE PROMISE OF BRINGING A

NEW COHESION TO THE REGION.