Thais want rethink on ASEAN policy<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AP): Thailand's foreign minister is urging the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations to review its long-held
\ndoctrine against noninterference in the affairs of member states.<\/p>\n
Hopes of modifying the policy, used over the years to
\ndiscourage criticism of human rights abuses in Myanmar and East
\nTimor, have been raised since one of its main supporters,
\nSoeharto, was forced out as Indonesia's leader last month.<\/p>\n
The calls were already building as ASEAN's mechanisms proved
\nwoefully inadequate to address Southeast Asia's economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan was cited in the Bangkok Post
\nnewspaper yesterday as telling senior diplomats that Thailand
\nshould not let the consensus approach obstruct Thai foreign
\naffairs and that Thais should be "true to ourselves".<\/p>\n
Surin was following up his own recent calls -- the first by an
\nASEAN foreign minister -- to replace the policy of
\nnonintervention with one of "constructive intervention" when
\nneeded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thais-want-rethink-on-asean-policy-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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