New hopes for Burma talks

Aung San Suu Kyi is under de facto house arrest

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has arrived in Burma, raising hopes he could help broker dialogue between the military government and opposition.

Mr Mahathir is one of Burma's strongest allies

Mr Mahathir was due to meet the Burmese junta's head, Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, on Wednesday.

But reports said no meeting had been scheduled with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under de facto house arrest.

Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the 1990 elections by a landslide, but the military refused to hand over power.

Mr Mahathir is spending a week in Burma

Efforts to achieve reconciliation in the country have been spearheaded by Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail, the United Nations secretary-general's special envoy to Burma.

Mr Razali, who was allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi last October, arrives in the capital Rangoon on Friday for his third mission to Burma since taking up the post.

He is the only diplomat who has been permitted to see the Nobel Peace Prize winner since she was confined to her house in September as part of a crackdown on the NLD.

'Payback time'

Thailand's The Nation newspaper said Mr Mahathir's visit was an opportunity to break the political deadlock.

"It is irreversible that Burma must change to move ahead with the world of the 21st Century," it added.

"With Mahathir's personal assistance and risk-taking, this is a great opportunity for Burma to change."

The paper said it was "payback time for the junta leaders" following Burma's admittance to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 1997.

Some member countries, in particular Thailand, are increasingly frustrated by the political isolation Asean has suffered as a result of Burma's inclusion.

Mr Mahathir, who last visited Burma in March 1998, is on a seven-day trip to the country.

On Thursday he will travel to the Burma-Thailand border to explore opportunities in the fisheries, timber and mining sectors for Malaysian companies.