Myanmar partially opens Suu Kyi's trial+

YANGON, May 20 Kyodo -
Myanmar's junta on Wednesday allowed some diplomats and journalists to attend
the court hearing of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi inside Yangon's Insein
prison in an apparent bid to ease international criticism.

In a meeting with diplomats from Singapore, Russia and Thailand after the court
adjourned in the afternoon, Suu Kyi said she did not want to use the latest
incident to get back at the junta, according to a statement from the Singapore
Foreign Ministry.
She also told the diplomats that she and her two housekeepers are well and
being well treated by the Myanmar authorities, according to the statement.
Suu Kyi was charged with violating the terms of her house arrest earlier this
month after an uninvited American intruder swam to her lakeside home.
On Wednesday, two prosecution witnesses testified at the trial, according to
Nyan Win, spokesman of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
Nyan Win told reporters at the party's Yangon headquarters that one of the
police officers had seized evidence from the Yangon hotel where the intruder,
John Yettaw, was staying, while the other had seized evidence that Yettaw
allegedly left at Suu Kyi's home.
The court decided to adjourn before finishing the hearing of the second
officer, Nyan Win said, adding that a total of 23 items of evidence were
presented at the court.
The trial will resume Thursday at 10 a.m., Nyan Win added.
According to the statement by the Singapore Foreign Ministry, the Singapore,
Thai and Russian ambassadors were allowed to meet with Suu Kyi at a ''guest
house'' within the prison compound.
Suu Kyi informed the three diplomatic representatives that there could be many
opportunities for national reconciliation if all parties so wished, and that
she did not wish to use the intrusion into her home as a way to get at the
Myanmar authorities, according to the statement.
She also expressed the view that it was not too late for something good to come
out of this ''unfortunate incident,'' it said.
On behalf of the diplomatic corps, Singapore Ambassador Robert Chua expressed
hope that there would be peaceful national reconciliation and that
representatives of the diplomatic corps would be able to meet both her and
Myanmar leaders regularly, according to the statement.
According to the diplomats and journalists who attended Wednesday's hearing,
Suu Kyi greeted them and thanked them for their support.
''I am seeking permission to see you. I am sorry I can't meet you one by one. I
hope I meet you in better days,'' she was quoted as saying.
Myanmar's Information Ministry informed the Foreign Correspondents' Club in the
morning that five local members of the club working for foreign media and
another five from the local weekly newspapers would be allowed to attend Suu
Kyi's trial, but cameras and recording devices could not be brought in.
Diplomats were told that one representative from each embassy in Yangon would
be allowed to attend the trial.
The trial, which opened Monday amid tight security, was otherwise closed to the
press and public.
Despite the move by the junta, Nyan Win said such measures do not change the
closed nature of the trial.
''This cannot be regarded as an open court. Allowing some diplomats to observe
the trial of a Myanmar citizen cannot be called an open trial,'' said Nyan Win.
He said that the trial of a Myanmar citizen should be open to Myanmar public.
When reporters asked what message Suu Kyi had for the people, Nyan Win quoted
her saying, ''Don't worry about me. Do what you have to do.''
Suu Kyi, the 63-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been under house arrest
since 2003 and taken from her home to the prison last Thursday over the
unauthorized intrusion at her home.
Yettaw, reportedly a Vietnam War veteran, entered her lakeside compound by
swimming across a lake May 3 and reportedly stayed there for two days.
He will be tried along with two female companions of Suu Kyi for violating the
terms of her house arrest.
==Kyodo