Ali alatas rebuts West over Myanmar

Ali alatas rebuts West over Myanmar

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas warned against other countries or organizations meddling
in ASEAN's affairs, saying that it was nobody else's business if
the association wished to welcome Myanmar into its midst.

"We in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) have the
right to decide who becomes a member and who will become an
observer," Alatas said yesterday.

The minister was responding to questions from journalists
about a news report that European Union Vice President Manuel
Marin had expressed concern over the admission of Myanmar as an
observer to the association.

ASEAN -- which comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- will hold an
annual two-day ministerial meeting here tomorrow.

A ceremony to induct Myanmar as an observer is due to be held
before the start of the meeting .

Alatas remarked that he had not personally talked to Marin
about the matter and had only read news reports about it.
However, he said "if things like this are included as part of
their perception of cooperation, then I regret it".

Marin on Wednesday had reportedly said that while ASEAN is
free to take on whomever it wants, Myanmar's admission "would be
a problem".

As reported by AFP from Brussels, Marin also said Myanmar's
full membership could jeopardize the deepening of relations
between the two regional organizations.

European countries along with the United States have been
strong critics of Yangon for its human rights and democratic
record.

ASEAN, on the other hand, has maintained a policy of
"constructive engagement" and refused to meddle in Yangon's
domestic affairs.

The issue is expected to be raised when Marin, along with
other ASEAN dialog partners, attend the ASEAN Regional Forum
meeting here on Tuesday.

After closing the two-day meeting of senior officials
yesterday, Alatas pointed out that ASEAN countries do not make
comments on the EU's internal affairs. The EU should therefore
extend the same courtesy, he said.

"This is our own organization. We don't make comments on those
who want to enter the European Union," he said.

Alatas then warned that ASEAN in turn could also make
observations on the various situations within the EU.

"We don't make comments on the (domestic) affairs of an EU
country, (but) we could do that," he remarked. (mds)