18 June 2003
McConnell Says Burma's Ambassador to U.S. Should Be Sent Home
(Senator's remarks at press briefing June 18) (470)
Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican of Kentucky) says Burma's
ambassador to the United States should be sent back to Rangoon and not
allowed to return to America until Aung San Suu Kyi and fellow
democrats are freed.
The Kentucky Republican and Deputy Majority Leader is the second most
powerful Republican lawmaker in the Senate and has been a consistent
and outspoken critic of the Rangoon regime.
McConnell said in remarks at a June 18 news conference on Capitol Hill
that a report on Burma by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
released the same day contains recommendations that are "sound and
should be considered and acted upon" by the Bush administration.
McConnell served on the CFR task force that drew up the report.
McConnell, along with Senator Dianne Feinstein (Democrat of
California), hailed the report and criticized the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), the ruling military authority in Burma.
Following is the text of the June 18 news release from the Office of
Senator Mitch McConnell:
(begin text)
Press Release of Senator McConnell
Senator McConnell Joins Council On Foreign Relations Independent Task
Force To Unveil Report On Burma
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell today applauded a
report released by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Independent
Task Force on Burma - "Burma: A Time for Change." During a press
conference on Capitol Hill, Senators McConnell (R-KY) and Dianne
Feinstein (D-CA) and the Chair of the CFR Task Force, Mathea Falco,
unveiled the report and discussed its findings.
Senator McConnell, who is a member of the Task Force, said "the
report's many recommendations are sound and should be considered and
acted upon by the Administration and the United Nations."
"For over a decade, the repressive and illegitimate State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) has consistently abused the human rights
and dignity of the people of Burma," said McConnell. "While this is
documented in the Task Force report, it includes such atrocities as
murder, rape, torture, child and forced labor, and violent suppression
of freedom."
"One recommendation not included in the report: diplomatic relations
with Burma should be downgraded by sending Burma's ambassador in
Washington back to Rangoon until such a time that Aung San Suu Kyi and
all other political prisoners are freed."
McConnell added, "We need a forceful response to the junta's blatant
attack on democracy. It is not enough to free Suu Kyi and other
political prisoners. The junta's game of 'catch and release' has
gotten old. Pressure should only be lifted when dialogue leads to the
successful conclusion of Burma's struggle for freedom."
Copies of the CFR Independent Task Force of Burma report is available
online at www.cfr.org.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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