ASEAN, EU increase pressure on Myanmar

ASEAN, EU increase pressure on Myanmar

Ivy Susanti and Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The world's two influential regional organizations -- the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European
Union (EU) -- put more pressure on Myanmar on Thursday to pave
the way for democracy by asking its military junta to grant
access to a UN representative and to free democracy-icon Aung San
Suu Kyi.

The ministers from both ASEAN and the EU issued a joint
statement after the 15th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) on
Thursday. They noted the developments after the recent national
convention in Myanmar and expressed "their strong hopes for
concrete results" from that convention.

"The ministers called on Myanmar in a written statement to
grant access to the special representative of the United Nations
secretary-general and to continue effective cooperation with all
United Nations agencies," without mentioning the request for the
release of Suu Kyi, said.

The demand for her release came from Luxembourg, which
currently holds the EU presidency.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said on Thursday
the EU specifically asked Myanmar to release Nobel laureate Suu
Kyi.

"We asked, from the European side, for the release of all
political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi," Asselborn said.

Asselborn said the EU believed ASEAN members could play a
major role in propelling Myanmar toward democracy.

"We do our best and I think also on the Asian side, a lot of
pressure is possible. We have to help this regime to see that the
only way in the future of the 21st century is democracy," he
said.

Separately, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda, the host of the AEMM, said that implementing the values
of human rights, democracy and practicing good governance in
Myanmar were "pressing issues".

"But we welcome Myanmar's willingness to explain the
developments in its country," Hassan said on the sidelines of the
meeting.

On the security front, the ministers reaffirmed their
commitment to combat terrorism in accordance with international
obligations, the UN charter and general norms of international
law, including respect for human rights and humanitarian law.

"The ministers emphasize the importance of addressing the root
causes of terrorism and avoiding the identification of terrorism
with any particular religion or ethnic group or nationality," the
joint statement said.

"We reaffirmed our commitment to strengthen cooperation to
combat terrorism as well as transnational crimes," Asselborn
said.

With regard the tsunami disaster, the ministers underlined the
importance of coordination of assistance programs and their
alignment with national reconstruction strategies as well as
supported the initiative to establish an early warning system in
the region.

The ministers also shared views on North Korea, the Middle
East, Iraq, the implementation of WTO's Doha Agenda and the
future relations between the two regions.

It was decided that the next meeting of foreign ministers
would take place in Europe in 2007.

Meanwhile, European Commissioner for External Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner urged countries in ASEAN and EU to work together
in the reconstruction of tsunami-affected areas.

"It was very sad to see what happened, therefore we have to
work together," Ferrero-Waldner, who visited Aceh on Friday,
said at a press conference in Aceh.

"The world must not forget the terrible devastation the
tsunami brought to Southeast Asia. The generous promises made in
the immediate aftermath must be kept. Of the 350 million euros
(US$460 million) that the European Commission alone hopes to make
available for post-tsunami reconstruction I intend to devote over
200 million euros to Indonesia," she said.