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)