Friday, June 8, 2012

‘Domestic issues’ caused president to cancel Thailand visit

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Friday, 08 June 2012 12:33 Mizzima News

Burma’s President Thein Sein cancelled his scheduled trip to Thailand last week to deal with domestic strikes in Rangoon and demonstrations protesting cuts in electrical power, the foreign ministry said in a press release on Thursday.


Burma's President Thein Sein Photo: president's website

The domestic issues “required the president to be in the country to give close supervision and guidance to ministries concerned and relevant authorities in their efforts to solve the situation in a peaceful way," said a press release issued by the foreign ministry, quoting  Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin’s comments to his Thai counterpart Dr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

The ministry said the visit will be rescheduled at a convenient time.

The president’s trip to Thailand was cancelled twice in a row. He was originally scheduled to speak at the World Economic Forum on East Asia on June 4-5.

Following the cancelations, rumors arose that the Burmese government was unhappy with the huge press coverage surrounding the visit of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who captured the attention of the world press covering the WEF meeting. It was her first trip abroad in 25 years.

She is scheduled to leave for a European tour in one week in which she plans to visit five cities.

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