Myanmar comes under fire at ARF<\/p>\n
By Santi WE Soekanto and Meidyatama Suryodiningrat<\/p>\n
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (JP): Simmering differences on the
\nMyanmar issue sharply divided the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations Regional Forum (ARF) yesterday despite a general
\natmosphere of cordiality and political will to elevate the forum
\nto its next level of diplomatic evolution.<\/p>\n
Sharp words and discontent spilled over as delegates directly
\naccused Myanmar, represented by Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw, for
\nsuppressing democracy and human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Describing Myanmar as an "anomaly" within ASEAN, United States
\nSecretary of State Madeleine Albright listed her aversions:
\nfailure to recognize elections, arrest of business people to stop
\ncurrency fluctuations and closure of public schools to prevent
\npolitical unrest.<\/p>\n
"Burma (Myanmar) is the only nation in ASEAN where it is
\nillegal to own a fax machine," she said.<\/p>\n
In the face of strong Western criticism, ASEAN admitted on
\nWednesday Laos and Myanmar as members, joining Brunei, Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Instead, ASEAN had pursued a policy of constructive
\nengagement.<\/p>\n
"We acknowledge that the decision to admit Burma (Myanmar) was
\nASEAN's to make and we respect it...Burma's future and ASEAN's
\nfuture are now joined, and now more than ever Burma's problems
\nneed an ASEAN solution," Albright said.<\/p>\n
She went one step further in her bash against the military
\nregime in Yangon by saying drug traffickers there were major
\ninvestors in the country and "leading lights in its new political
\norder".<\/p>\n
Albright was here to attend the one-day ARF meeting which
\nbrings ASEAN together with its dialog partners.<\/p>\n
During the meeting Ohn Gyaw was given the opportunity to
\nelaborate on developments in his country, taking the time to
\nexplain Yangon's plans to establish a new constitution.<\/p>\n
But both Albright and European Union representative,
\nLuxembourg Foreign Minister Jacques Poos, brushed aside Ohn
\nGyaw's explanation.<\/p>\n
"I didn't feel that his presentation was credible at all,"
\nPoos replied to journalists after an initial hesitation at the
\nquestion.<\/p>\n
Even the chairman of the meeting, Malaysian Foreign Minister
\nAbdullah Badawi, was less than flattering in his description of
\nOhn Gyaw's presentation. "It was factually correct, but they are
\nnot taking any big steps forward."<\/p>\n
Poos said the EU now accepted ASEAN's constructive engagement
\npolicy, but indicated that "it is a recognition of reality"
\nrather than a belief of the policy's potency.<\/p>\n
"We wish them good luck that their constructive dialog will
\nbring about democratic changes," Poos said.<\/p>\n
Even the ARF chairman's statement received some criticism for
\nnot highlighting concerns on Myanmar.<\/p>\n
"It was really not negotiated...there is really nothing wrong,
\nit reflects the reality, but of course they didn't want to be too
\nexplicit on the problem I just mentioned," Poos added.<\/p>\n
There was but a fleeting mention of Myanmar in the 11-page
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Despite the stinging criticisms made during and after the
\nmeeting, most delegates underlined that the atmosphere was
\nnon-conflictual.<\/p>\n
Badawi claimed that discussions were held "without becoming
\ndisagreeable".<\/p>\n
On the future of the forum, Badawi revealed that the ARF would
\nnow progress to the next stage in its evolution. "We agreed to
\nmove the ARF from confidence-building measures to preventive
\ndiplomacy."<\/p>\n
He added that established mechanisms such as consensus
\ndecision-making, would be maintained in the evolution.<\/p>\n
During the second ARF meeting in 1995, it was agreed that the
\nforum would follow a three-stage approach: confidence-building
\nmeasures, preventive diplomacy and conflict resolutions.<\/p>\n
The statement, touching on most regional political security
\nissues, said "the overall security environment in the Asia-
\nPacific region continues to improve. Notwithstanding the
\nexistence of certain challenges, the area remains stable and
\npeaceful."<\/p>\n
Other highlighted topics included the South China Sea,
\nelimination of land mines, the Korean Peninsula, nuclear weapons,
\nand activities of the Track-Two initiatives involving non-
\ngovernmental think tanks.<\/p>\n
Other foreign ministers present at the meeting were
\nAustralia's Alexander Downer, Brunei's Mohamed Bolkiah,
\nCambodia's Ung Huot, Canada's Lloyd Axworthy, China's Qian
\nQichen, India's P. Chidambaram, Japan's Yukihiko Ikeda, Korea's
\nYoo Chong Ha, Laos' Somsavat Lengsavad, New Zealand's Don
\nMcKinnon, Philippines' Domingo Siazon, Russia's Primakov,
\nSingapore's S. Jayakumar, Thailand's Prachuab Chaiyasarn, and
\nVietnam's Nguyen Manh Cam.<\/p>\n
Also present were special representative to Papua New Guinea
\nL. Louma and ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Ajit Singh.<\/p>\n
Today the delegates will begin a two-day Post Ministerial
\nConference.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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