Gyaw defends Yangon policies<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The opening session of the ASEAN Regional Forum
\nyesterday saw Myanmar face its sharpest critics and defend its
\nmuch-reproached domestic political policies.<\/p>\n
Though not designed as a forum for discussing domestic
\naffairs, the meeting was highlighted by Myanmar's Foreign
\nMinister U Ohn Gyaw briefing the attending ministers on the
\ndevelopments in his country.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Foreign Minister, and chair of the meeting, Ali
\nAlatas, explained that during an informal dinner on Monday
\nevening, several ministers had \"expressed their concern\" about
\nthe situation in Myanmar while another group had \"expressed their
\nviews.\"<\/p>\n
It was then agreed that Myanmar would be given the opportunity
\nto address these concerns and views at the ARF meeting.<\/p>\n
\"So I gave the floor to Myanmar to give an explanation. And
\nthis is what the Myanmarese foreign minister did this morning,\"
\nAlatas told reporters after escorting the ARF participants to pay
\na courtesy call on President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"I think the proceedings were to the satisfaction of
\neverybody,\" he said. \"Myanmar was given the opportunity to
\nexplain the situation and, on the other hand, those who had been
\ncritical of Myanmar had the opportunity to listen to the
\nexplanations first hand.\"<\/p>\n
Taking part in the meeting were ASEAN's seven foreign
\nministers: Brunei's Prince Mohamad Bolkiah, Indonesia's Ali
\nAlatas, Malaysia's Abdullah Badawi, the Philippines' Domingo L.
\nSiazon, Singapore's S. Jayakumar, Thailand's Amnuay Viravan and
\nVietnam's Nguyen Manh Cam.<\/p>\n
Also at the meeting were ASEAN's four observers: Cambodia's
\nUng Huot, Laos' Somsavat Lengsavad, Myanmar's U Ohn Gyaw and
\nPapua New Guinea's Kilroy Genia.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministers from the dialog partners were also present:
\nAustralia's Alexander Downer, Canada's Lloyd Axworthy, China's
\nQian Qichen, European Union Vice President Manuel Marin, the EU's
\nChairman of the Council of Ministers Irish Foreign Minister Dick
\nSpring, Indian Foreign Minister I. Kumar Gujral, Japan's Yukihiko
\nIkeda, New Zealand's Don McKinnon, Russia's Yevgeni Primakov,
\nSouth Korea's Gong Ro-myung and the United States' Warren
\nChristopher.<\/p>\n
India and Myanmar are first-time attendees at the ARF.<\/p>\n
After a three-hour morning session, the ministers paid a
\ncourtesy call on President Soeharto, dubbed by Singapore's
\nJayakumar as \"the Father of ASEAN\", at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Soeharto used the occasion to brief the participants on the
\nhistory of ASEAN, which developed from five members in 1967 and
\nis now well on the way to encompassing all 10 Southeast Asian
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
One thing ASEAN is not is a military alliance, although each
\nmember has its own armed forces, Soeharto said.<\/p>\n
The armed forces should defend their respective nations'
\nsovereignty and maintain national stability, which is crucial to
\ntheir development, he said.<\/p>\n
ASEAN countries who succeed in maintaining their own stability
\ngive vital contributions to the regional stability which, in
\nturn, allows for enhanced regional cooperation, he added.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said \"now is the most conducive time for ASEAN to
\nimplement the concept of the Zone of Peace, Freedom and
\nNeutrality.\"<\/p>\n
At the closing press conference Alatas described the ARF
\nmeeting as a useful opportunity for an exchange of views.<\/p>\n
When pressed further on the question of Myanmar's membership
\nof ASEAN, Alatas argued that the association has never ignored
\nthe domestic situation there. However, the grouping does not
\nagree with the Western approach of \"politically putting a country
\non the spot,\" he pointed out.<\/p>\n
He argued that other international organizations such as the
\nUnited Nations have never put domestic political requirements as
\na prerequisite for membership. Thus, \"don't ask of ASEAN what
\nother international organizations don't do,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On the Western countries' demands for democracy and human
\nrights, Alatas maintained that Asian countries also have the same
\nobjectives. However, each nation should have the right to
\ndetermine for themselves the type of democracy they will adhere
\nto.<\/p>\n
\"I think, sorry to say, that is a bit of either intellectual
\narrogance or intellectual hypocrisy,\" he said of those who gauged
\ndemocracy solely by Western standards.<\/p>\n
Though the ministers spent 15 minutes of the four-hour meeting
\nlistening to explanations on the situation in Myanmar, the issue
\nwas not included within the final chairman's statement.<\/p>\n
A delegate who asked not to be named revealed that during the
\ninformal dinner the previous night, the ministers had agreed that
\nthe issue of Myanmar would not be part of the chairman's
\nstatement. However in exchange ministers could raise the matter
\nin their opening statements, a session which was open to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
Other issues which were discussed included the South China
\nSea. The ministers welcomed efforts to seek a peaceful solution
\nto the issue of overlapping claims in the area.<\/p>\n
The ministers yesterday also adopted reports from the various
\nInter-Sessional Groups of the ARF on confidence building
\nmeasures, search and rescue and peacekeeping operations.<\/p>\n
On the nuclear issue, the ministers, in their statement
\nexpressed concern over nuclear testing in the region. They also
\nwelcomed the end of nuclear testing in the South Pacific and
\nurged the successful and speedy conclusion of the negotiations on
\nthe Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.<\/p>\n
The ARF yesterday also expressed its support for the
\nelimination of antipersonnel mines.<\/p>\n
\"Clearly...we are thinking of the land mines that are still
\nfound in Cambodia,\" Alatas said.<\/p>\n
The ARF yesterday also adopted criteria for new participants.
\nMinisters stressed that they must be those nations who can
\ndirectly contribute to peace and stability in the region. They
\nfurther noted that the ARF must expand gradually at a manageable
\nlevel. (pwn\/mds)<\/p>\n
More stories on Page 3<\/p>\n
Inconsistency -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gyaw-defends-yangon-policies-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }