Burmese military allows opposition meeting

Burma's military government says it will allow the opposition National League for Democracy to hold a meeting, beginning today Wednesdayin Rangoon to commemorate the party's 1990 election victory.

The result was not recognised by the military junta, and this is the first time the opposition has been given permission to hold any commemorations.

Earlier, the oppostion said it would goahead with the three-day gathering, despite warnings from the authorities that it would threaten national unity.

It says that about thirty people who had been planning to travel to Rangoon for the meeting have been detained.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service