EU vows more pressure on Yangon<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Hanoi<\/p>\n
The European Union (EU) is determined to press ahead with
\nadditional sanctions against Myanmar if the military junta
\nrefuses to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the
\nDutch foreign minister said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The EU dropped its objections last month to allowing Myanmar
\nto attend the Asia-Europe summit, which starts on Friday in
\nHanoi, deciding instead to protest the regime's dismal human
\nrights record and anti-democracy moves with possible additional
\nsanctions.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Bernard Bot of the Netherlands, which holds
\nthe EU presidency, said European nations would meet on Monday to
\nformally approve the proposed sanctions, as it grew increasingly
\nunlikely that Myanmar would release Suu Kyi from house arrest or
\nmeet other EU conditions by the summit's opening on Friday as
\ndemanded.<\/p>\n
"It is very important that we maintain the pressure, that we
\nnot give the impression that we accept a situation which for us
\nis unacceptable," Bot told reporters in Hanoi.<\/p>\n
The EU's differences with Myanmar's military junta nearly led
\nto a European boycott of the summit. Some Asian members of ASEM
\nconsider human rights a matter for individual countries to
\ndecide, while others see the EU actions as interference in
\nMyanmar's domestic affairs.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asian members refused to exclude Myanmar and
\nthreatened to block the inclusion of 10 new members of the EU
\nfrom ASEM, forcing Brussels to back away from a boycott. As a
\ncompromise, Myanmar will be represented by a lower-level
\ndelegation.<\/p>\n
The other Asian member countries -- Japan, South Korea and
\nChina -- did not disagree with the Southeast Asian countries on
\nthe Myanmar issue.<\/p>\n
"The fact that Myanmar is able to join itself, we think is
\nprogress," said Akira Chiba, a spokesman for Japanese Prime
\nMinister Junichiro Koizumi. "Japan is, of course, interested in
\nfurther democratization of Myanmar and we hope that Myanmar will
\ncooperate with the world community."<\/p>\n
Several European leaders -- such as French President Jacques
\nChirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder -- chose to skip
\nthe ASEM enlargement ceremony on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n
But Bot said European participation in the Hanoi summit was
\nuseful because it gave the EU a forum to confront Myanmar and
\npublicize its complaints.<\/p>\n
"Here we are able to voice our opposition to the way in which
\nthe Burmese authorities are acting," he said. "The possibility to
\nexert pressure directly on the regime is important."<\/p>\n
The proposed sanctions include an extension of the visa ban on
\nMyanmar military authorities and their families, a prohibition on
\nEU companies providing loans and other financing to Myanmar
\nstate-owned companies, and other measures.<\/p>\n
To avoid those sanctions, the EU has demanded Myanmar release
\nSuu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since last year, and
\ngive her party a role in writing a constitution.<\/p>\n
Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai presided over an
\nelaborate outdoor ceremony to formally add 10 countries that
\njoined the EU in May and three Southeast Asian countries to the
\nbiennial meeting.<\/p>\n
"An enlarged ASEM with 39 members makes up 40 percent and 50
\npercent of the world's population and GDP, respectively," Khai
\nsaid. "With this, ASEM emerges as a political and economic entity
\nfully capable of playing an important role in world peace,
\nsecurity and development."<\/p>\n
As European and Asian leaders stood on a large stage, a
\nmilitary honor guard raised the colorful flags of the new members
\nbehind them.<\/p>\n
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen spoke on behalf of the three
\nnew Asian members -- his country, Laos, and Myanmar -- thanking
\nASEM for its "unanimous decision to welcome the three countries
\ninto the great ASEM family."<\/p>\n
The European members of ASEM are Austria, Belgium, Britain,
\nCyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
\nGermany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
\nLuxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovak
\nRepublic, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The European Commission is
\nalso a member.<\/p>\n
The Asian members are Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia,
\nJapan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, South
\nKorea, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/eu-vows-more-pressure-on-yangon-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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