ASEAN's dialog partners still wary on Myanmar<\/p>\n
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Kyodo): The United States, European Union
\nand Australia advised the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) yesterday that military-led Myanmar needs to be watched
\ncarefully despite the welcome release of pro-democracy leader
\nAung San Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
\"We warmly welcome the Nobel laureate's release,\" said U.S.
\nSecretary of State Warren Christopher at the outset of a two-day
\nmeeting of ASEAN and its seven dialog partners -- the U.S., EU,
\nJapan, South Korea, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\"It gives us reason to hope that Burma's (Myanmar's)
\nfundamental problems can be resolved,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But Christopher urged the ASEAN countries that \"we should
\nremember that those problems continue, including grave human
\nrights violations, massive forced labor and drug trafficking.\"<\/p>\n
The U.S. secretary of state suggested that Washington's hard-
\nline policy aimed at isolating Myanmar had a role to play in
\nbringing about Suu Kyi's release July 10 from almost six years of
\nhouse arrest, adding it was accomplished through \"the efforts of
\neach of our nations.\"<\/p>\n
The EU also took partial credit for Suu Kyi's release, with
\nSpanish Foreign Minister Javier Solana telling the meeting's
\nparticipants, \"We may undoubtedly be justified in congratulating
\nourselves.\"<\/p>\n
\"However we should not confine ourselves to applauding this
\noccurrence and thus lose sight of the fact that, within the
\nclimate of political normalization, there is still a long way to
\ngo in Myanmar,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans cautioned that it
\nremains \"vital that none of us in the region should now send a
\nmessage to the military leadership of Myanmar that it has now
\ndone enough simply by releasing Aung San Suu Kyi.\"<\/p>\n
He said the generals in control of the country must not be
\ngiven the impression that they need simply \"wait out
\ninternational disapproval for a year or two more and that it will
\nbe accepted into regional organizations without need for further
\nchange.\"<\/p>\n
Evans was evidently referring to Myanmar's intentions to join
\nASEAN and the regional grouping's enthusiasm to bring all the 10
\nnations of Southeast Asia under its umbrella, possibly by the end
\nof the century.<\/p>\n
On July 27, Myanmar took the first step by acceding to ASEAN's
\nTreaty of Amity and Cooperation, which is a precondition for
\nobserver status and eventual full membership.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, leading the meeting's
\ndiscussion of Myanmar on behalf of ASEAN, reiterated the regional
\ngrouping's stance that the best way to effect change in Myanmar
\n\"would be for the international community to continue to engage
\nMyanmar constructively and to assist it in its national
\nreconciliation and development efforts.\"<\/p>\n
He said the wrong way to bring that about would be \"to try to
\nisolate it or impose sanctions.\"<\/p>\n
Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono agreed on the
\ninadvisability of isolating Myanmar, officials said.<\/p>\n
He was quoted as saying Japan would adopt a more \"realistic\"
\nstance and strive to promote improvements in Myanmar, including
\ndemocratization and respect for human rights, through continued
\ndialogue and the provision of official development assistance on
\na \"case-by-case\" basis.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aseans-dialog-partners-still-wary-on-myanmar-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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