MYANMAR RAPS BRITAIN, U.S. OVER DRUG TALKS BOYCOTT

YANGON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government said on Wednesday
it greatly regretted decisions by the United States and Britain to boycott
an Interpol conference on heroin production and trafficking to be held
later this month.

The plan to hold the conference in Myanmar, one of the world's leading
heroin producers, raised eyebrows among many diplomats and provoked
condemnation by critics of the Yangon government. The Netherlands, Denmark
and Norway have also said they will not attend.

Yangon said Britain and the United States, as two of the largest markets
for heroin in the world, had a "special responsibility" to take part.

"The Government of Myanmar greatly regrets the British and American refusal
to participate in this important conference and urges them to put politics
aside, for the sake of the millions of people around the world whose lives
are theatened by the drug trade," it said in a statement.

"Their huge markets fuel a global narcotics trade which threatens to infect
many countries in the developing world, including Myanmar," it said.

On Wednesday a Sydney-based non-governmental organisation criticised
Australia's planned participation, saying it would merely serve the
propaganda interests of a "brutal, incompetent and corrupt" government.

The Australia Burma Council said in a statement seen in Bangkok that most
of the heroin sold in Australia orginated in Myanmar.

"Australia's attendance and support of this conference will be an obnoxious
admission of a softening of national policy and will bring no good to the
people or Burma, nor will it aid us in our bid to have a drug-free
society," it said.

In October last year Australian authorities seized 400 kg (880 lb) of
heroin that came from refineries in northern Myanmar. It was one of the
biggest hauls ever made.

Myanmar has published a slew of rosy drug suppression statistics in recent
weeks, but overseas officials working to stem a flood of narcotics from its
refineries have expressed doubts about its commitment to eradicating the
menace.

On Wednesday, newspapers said authorities had destroyed 6,182 acres (2,472
hectares) of opium fields since November.

According to official statistics, Myanmar seized 404 kg (890 lb) of heroin,
5,394 kg (12,086 lb) of opium, 381 kg (838 lb) of marijuana and more than
16 million stimulant tablets in 1998.

The government says a 1998 survey showed 151,201 acres (60,480 hectares) of
poppy plantations produced 665.28 tonnes of opium from which 66.52 tonnes
of heroin could be produced.

U.S. estimates put production about four times higher.