Mission to Myanmar 'should be credible'<\/p>\n
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said on Friday that
\nhis planned trip to check the progress of democracy in military-
\nruled Myanmar must be credible.<\/p>\n
Syed Hamid will represent the 10-nation Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations in the visit, which was announced amidst
\nintense international pressure for the grouping to tackle the
\nslow pace of democratic reform in fellow member Myanmar.<\/p>\n
"I would like the visit to be successful, the outcome to be
\nsuccessful so that we, as ASEAN, will be able to speak
\nconvincingly and with credibility to the world at large," Syed
\nHamid told reporters.<\/p>\n
ASEAN issued a statement at the close of its annual summit
\nthis week calling for reforms to speed up and for the release of
\nprisoners, a reference to detained pro-democracy leader Aung San
\nSuu Kyi and members of her political party.<\/p>\n
Syed Hamid said Myanmar understood ASEAN's call for speedier
\nreforms. He urged Yangon to cooperate in the visit to make it
\ncredible.<\/p>\n
"Myanmar understood... that we wish to help Myanmar, that any
\nproblem in Myanmar we consider is also a problem within ASEAN,
\ntherefore as good friends we would like to see in whatever way we
\ncould help Myanmar," he said.<\/p>\n
"And in order for us to be able to help Myanmar, Myanmar has
\nto provide us with the necessary assistance in order for us to be
\nable to tell their story with credibility."<\/p>\n
Syed Hamid would not specify what his trip would entail,
\nsaying the details and date had yet to be worked out. But he
\nsignaled that caution would be needed in negotiating the visit
\nwith the secretive military junta.<\/p>\n
"There is... high expectation on the visit and I think I must
\nbe very clear what I could see and what I could do before I make
\nthe next move," he said, adding he must balance ASEAN's interests
\nwith those of Yangon.<\/p>\n
But Syed Hamid said he was clear about his mandate to check
\nthe pace of reform and he would be examining the situation in
\nMyanmar in detail.<\/p>\n
"I'm just not going to Myanmar to see Myanmar. I am going to
\nMyanmar to carry the message of ASEAN, with the agreement of
\nMyanmar, how the democratic process is taking shape in Myanmar,"
\nsaid the minister.<\/p>\n
"They have given us some of the facts. We want to see what is
\nhappening on the ground." -- AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mission-to-myanmar-should-be-credible-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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