Reuters AlertNet Lite - U.S. urges restraint in Myanmar ahead of China talks

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U.S. urges restraint in Myanmar ahead of China talks

27 Sep 2007 02:10:04 GMT
Source: Reuters

BEIJING, Sept 27 (Reuters) - A top U.S. envoy urged Myanmar's generals on Thursday to use restraint in handling anti-government protests and called on China and other countries to use their influence to help them do so.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was to meet Chinese counterparts in Beijing, where he arrived for negotiations on North Korea's nuclear programme, but he said Myanmar was at the top of the international agenda.

"I think all countries need to use all the influence that they have. I think every country has some influence with Burma, and I think China is certainly one of those," he told reporters.

China, a major trade partner of Myanmar and one of the isolated regime's few allies, is seen as wielding considerable influence over the country's ruling junta, which is grappling with the biggest anti-government protests in 20 years.

Sources in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, said at least three people, including two monks -- who are at the vanguard of the demonstrations -- were shot dead on Wednesday as security forces fired warning shots and used tear gas and baton charges to try to quell the protests.

"I think we all need to agree on the fact that the Burmese government has to stop thinking that this can be solved by police and military and start thinking about the need for some genuine reconciliation with the broad spectrum of political activists in the country," Hill said.

"The use of force will solve nothing. This is about arriving at political arrangements."

China has called for stability in Myanmar, but has not joined the chorus of voices from Western countries calling for restraint.

Some diplomats and analysts say that it may be quietly trying to use its influence with the generals, but others argue Beijing is unlikely to wield what power it has and risk its strategic goals of using the country to secure an alternative route for oil and gas supplies.

U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said on Wednesday China should in particular use its sway over Myanmar.

"We want them (China) to use their influence in whatever form they can to get the regime to change its views," Casey said.

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Last updated:Thu Sep 27 02:13:14 2007