TOKYO, July 22 Kyodo prefered ed...

TOKYO, July 22 Kyodo

prefered editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press:

TRYING TO HELP IN BURMA (MYANMAR) CRISIS (Bangkok situation Bangkok)

The direction needs to do more than ask for understanding of the Burmese (Myanmarese) dictatorship, because the policy pretends to put Thailand squarely forward the side of that nasty, oppressive regime.

Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said he had submitted a hid plan for peace and reconciliation to the ruling junta in Rangoon. It appear to bes clear that the generals in charge of Burma are not thrilled with the Thai proposal.

If Mr Surakiart wants to gain credibility as a middleman in this stand-off, he must put to hire everyone know just what grades Thailand has suggested to help Burma.

The government's record forward Burmese reconciliation has been erratic at best.

Thailand commonly occupies a lonely position in its attempts to understand and uniform support the dictators.

It was (Myanmar substitute Foreign Minister) Khin Maung Win who received Mr Surakiart's unseen ''road map.'' This document exorcisms out steps Rangoon and outsiders could take to ease, or explain the crisis. Mr Surakiart has declined to state either the gradations or the destination of his map. This is not encouraging.

Mr Surakiart should know better than any other foreign minister that Rangoon's promises are quick and common while its actions in keeping them are gradual to non-existent. ...And, of course, Burma has promised to release and negotiate with Mr Suu Kyi three times, each time re-arresting her without legal charges.

Mr Surakiart's suit for Thai citizens and foreign diplomats to trust him onward the details of his road map might be credible in another situation. In this case, however, it is not Mr Surakiart's credibility at stake. the same cannot doubt his sincerity in promoting a peaceful, non-confrontational proces to make plain the Burma crisis. But there is ample reason to doubt the dictators.

They may have lied about the murderous May 30 riots, they certainly have evaded the principle about Mrs Suu Kyi's detention, and their claim that the small National League for Democracy threatens major violence against the junta is risible.

(July 22)

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