ASEAN will continue to engage
\nMyanmar despite U.S. criticism<\/p>\n
Jim Gomez
\nAssociated Press\/Busan, South Korea<\/p>\n
Southeast Asian governments will continue to engage Myanmar and
\navoid doing anything that might prompt it to withdraw from the
\nregion's main trade group, the organization's chief said on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Ong Keng Yong, secretary-general of the 10-member Association
\nof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), made the remarks after U.S.
\nPresident George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
\nissued fresh criticism of military rule in Myanmar during visits
\nto Asia.<\/p>\n
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been a member of ASEAN since
\n1998, but the group has come under increasing pressure from
\nWashington and European governments to push the ruling generals
\nto pursue democratic reforms and release Nobel laureate Aung San
\nSuu Kyi from house arrest.<\/p>\n
ASEAN insists persuasion, not sanctions, is the best way to
\ndeal with the regime.<\/p>\n
\"As part of the ASEAN group we have no other choice but to
\nbring Myanmar along in whatever way we can,\" Ong told The
\nAssociated Press on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic
\nCooperation forum in Busan, South Korea.<\/p>\n
\"What's the alternative? The alternative is exclude Myanmar
\naltogether and they are not hesitant about getting into
\nisolation,\" he said. \"Is that going to solve the problem?\"<\/p>\n
Rice told reporters on the sidelines of the APEC meetings this
\nweek that Myanmar's junta was \"one of the worst regimes in the
\nworld\" for its record on human rights and free speech.<\/p>\n
She urged the country's neighbors to do more to bring about
\ndemocratic change in Myanmar.<\/p>\n
\"I understand that a lot of countries that are neighbors of
\nBurma feel the need to engage them, but I would hope that
\nengagement also takes the form of being serious about the really
\nquite appalling human rights situation,\" Rice said.<\/p>\n
During a speech in Kyoto, Japan, this week, Bush named China
\nand Myanmar as countries that \"still have not taken even the
\nfirst steps toward freedom.\"<\/p>\n
\"The people of Burma live in the darkness of tyranny but the
\nlight of freedom shines in their heart,\" Bush said.<\/p>\n
Few international organizations apart from ASEAN have granted
\nMyanmar membership because of the regime's record. Myanmar is not
\namong APEC's 21 members.<\/p>\n
Ong said the ASEAN goal of bringing about change in Myanmar
\nthrough economic and political engagement \"may be slow, but at
\nleast they're still at the table.\"<\/p>\n
The military has ruled Myanmar since 1962. The current junta
\ncame to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy uprising. It
\ncalled a 1990 general election but refused to hand over power
\nafter Suu Kyi's party won a landslide victory.<\/p>\n
In July, Myanmar gave up its turn next year at ASEAN's
\nrotating chairmanship after the United States and the European
\nUnion threatened to boycott the group's meetings.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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