U.S. sanctions must not cloud issue<\/p>\n
ASEAN might rightly be irked at growing international concern
\nat the prospect of the admission of the military regime of
\nMyanmar. In making what will be a momentous decision, it needs to
\nfocus on the real issue -- and that is the aspirations of a
\npopulation that conflict with those of military rulers.<\/p>\n
In reacting to United States sanctions against Myanmar, ASEAN
\nleaders have shown that no one likes to be told what to do,
\nparticularly in their own neck of the woods. The reaction is
\nperfectly natural, but it is important not to lose sight of the
\ncentral issue in the debate about the admission of Myanmar. The
\nissue is interference.<\/p>\n
Some ASEAN leaders have jumped at the chance to tell
\nWashington to mind its own business and stop interfering in
\nregional affairs. But ASEAN must accept that, despite its
\nprotests to the contrary, it is interfering in the affairs of
\nMyanmar itself. In pandering to the State Law and Order
\nRestoration Council, ASEAN is defying the wishes of the more than
\n95 percent of Myanmar's population who voted the dictators out of
\noffice in the 1990 general election.<\/p>\n
-- The Bangkok Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-sanctions-must-not-cloud-issue-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }