PNO rejects Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’sstatement implying that she willrepresent national races

NAY PYI TAW, 13 Nov— It is learnt that the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Adviser Mr Gambari released a statement in Singapore on behalf of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 8 November.Regarding the points enumerated in the statement, the Pa-Oh National Organization released an announcement today.A translation of the announcement is as follows:

Special Region (6)

Pa-Oh National Organization (PNO)

Central Headquarters, Taunggyi

Letter No. 03/384/sa-ya-ya/htoo (6)

Date: 13th November 2007

Announcement

The Pa-Oh National Organization made peace with the Government in 1991 and has been carrying out regional development works. It also participated in the delegate group of other invited persons in the National Convention.

As PNO coordinated at the National Convention for gaining self-administered zone,fundamental principles have been adopted for Pa-Oh Self-Administered Zone comprising Pinlaung, Hsihseng and Hopong townships. Similarly, Wa, Kokang, Danu, Palaung and Naga nationals attained Self-Administered Division or Self-Administered Zone. In addition, fundamental principles and detailed basic principles have been adopted to provide appropriate legislative, administrative and judicial powers to Regions and States. Thus, it can be found that fundamental principles and detailed basic principles adopted by the National Convention provide rights for the national races as never before when compared with previous Constitutions.

After the successful completion of the National Convention, the Government has formed the 54-member Commission for Drafting State Constitution. Therefore, the implementation of the seven-step Road Map can now be continued with momentum.

While there emerge good conditions for the national reconsolidation and democratization, the meetings between Minister U Aung Kyi who has been appointed and assigned duty as Minister for Relations and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi started. We, the PNO, welcome them. We assume that these meetings are meant for the national reconsolidation between the Government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. However, in the recent statement by Mr Gambari on behalf of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, there are some points implying that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will represent the national races . It is found that the statement was issued with individual desire and it is not official. We declare that the PNO rejects the invitation mentioned in that statement.

The Shan State Special Region (6) supports the forthcoming Constitution formulated with fundamental principles and detailed basic principles adopted by the National Convention. We declare that we will continue to participate steadfastly in the implementation of the seven-step Road Map.

(U Aung Kham Hti)

Chairman

Pa-Oh National Organization (PNO)