China's Wen to meet Myanmar PM in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Nov 18 (Reuters) Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will meet Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein tomorrow, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

''We hope that Myanmar could push forward the democratic process and reconciliation through peaceful means,'' the spokesman said today Both men were in Singapore for the ASEAN summit of southeast Asian nations. Thein Sein's visit was the first attendance by a top junta member at an international forum since the military government cracked down on pro-democracy protests in September.

China, the closest the isolated Myanmar junta has to an ally, opposes Western countries' sanctions against its military-ruled neighbour.

Thein Sein will meet other ASEAN leaders at a dinner on Monday, where he will brief them on the situation in Myanmar.

REUTERS PY VC2044