51.   Dialogue with the Burmese military junta is preferable to sanctions advocated by the European Union, Japanese Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda said Tuesday.

52.   During the visit Khue held talks with senior Burmese military junta members including its leader General Than Shwe, according to the radio.

53.   During her term as president, Aquino had also written to the Burmese junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi from jail.

54.   EU foreign ministers last month banned all contacts with members of the Burmese junta but have so far resisted appeals from the NLD for the imposition of economic sanctions.

55.   Even the Europeans conceded that the package of measures was largely symbolic and unlikely to affect the Burmese junta.

56.   Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda said Tuesday that Japan was considering making a direct request to the Burmese military junta to promote democratisation and improve its human rights record.

57.   Fighting between Christian Karens and Buddhists backed by the Burmese ruling junta occasionally spills over into Thailand.

58.   The SLORC is the official designation of the ruling Burmese military junta.

59.   The signing ceremoney was presided over by Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, secretary general of the ruling Burmese military junta, according to the radio.

60.   The US State Department issued a statement Wednesday urging the Burmese junta to halt its military operations against the Karen, which it said was affecting mostly civilians.