ASEAN cautiously encourages Myanmar<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nNusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
When Myanmar's Prime Minister Gen. Khin Nyut shakes hands with
\nother members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) and expresses his thanks to President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri and other heads of state after the summit closure
\non Tuesday, it should be seen not just as a matter of courtesy,
\nbut a sincere expression of gratitude.<\/p>\n
Gratitude to Megawati and other leaders, who have virtually
\nsaved the military junta from international humiliation by
\nsacrificing their own convictions about Myanmar's opposition
\nleader Aung San Suu Kyi and her recent detention.<\/p>\n
Even when the general arrived here on Monday he did not need
\nto worry about the issue, because ASEAN foreign ministers were
\nfinalizing the draft of the statement to be announced by the
\nchairperson after the ASEAN leaders' meeting and their separate
\nsummit with China, Japan and South Korea. President Megawati will
\nread out the statement on Tuesday. The ministers were apparently
\nconfident that the prime minister would not bring good news about
\nSuu Kyi.<\/p>\n
\"The ASEAN leaders welcomed the positive developments in
\nMyanmar and the government's pledge to bring about the transition
\nto democracy. The roadmap as outlined by the Prime Minister of
\nMyanmar is a pragmatic approach and deserves understanding and
\nsupport. It is also agreed that sanctions are not helpful in
\npromoting peace and stability is essential for democracy to take
\nroot,\" a draft of the statement reads.<\/p>\n
The chairman's statement explains the results of the summit,
\nincluding the agreed framework for the establishment of the ASEAN
\nCommunity.<\/p>\n
The leaders have set up the ways to achieve the ideal goal
\nthrough the framework of an ASEAN Security Community, ASEAN
\nEconomic Community and ASEAN Social and Cultural Community.<\/p>\n
Apart from the Myanmar issue, the chairman's statement will
\nalso mention the reaffirmation of the regional grouping's leaders
\nthat ASEAN shares a primary responsibility for strengthening
\ntheir peaceful and progressive national development and that they
\nare determined to ensure their stability for national interests
\nin accordance with ideals and aspirations of their peoples.<\/p>\n
The statement also mentions the sustainability of the region's
\neconomic development, saying it would be necessary to have a
\nsecure political environment based on a strong foundation of
\nmutual interests generated by economic cooperation.<\/p>\n
On terrorism, the leaders are expected to reaffirm the
\ndetermination to cooperate actively in mitigating the adverse
\nimpact of terrorist attacks on ASEAN countries and urge the
\ninternational community to assist them in these efforts. In
\naddition, the leaders pledged to ensure the security and harmony
\nof the societies and the safety of the people and also of others
\nwho are in the countries and in the region.<\/p>\n
\"We shared our concerns of the recent terrorist attacks in
\nJakarta and at the UN headquarters in Iraq. We are determined to
\nfurther our joint efforts in combating terrorism in East Asia and
\nreaffirm our commitment to support global efforts on fighting
\nterrorism,\" says the statement.<\/p>\n
Based on the briefing about the Korean peninsula crisis from
\nSouth Korean President Roh Moo-hyung, Chinese Prime Minister Wen
\nJiabao and Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi, the ASEAN leaders
\nstated that they welcomed the convening of the Six-Party talks
\n(involving South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, the United States
\nand the Europe Union) as a positive step towards a peaceful
\nresolution of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and expressed
\nappreciation for the commitment showed by parties concerned and
\ntheir efforts to resolve the situation on the Korean Peninsula.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-cautiously-encourages-myanmar-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}