ASEAN offers Cambodia help to solve political crisis
ASEAN offers Cambodia help to solve political crisis
HONG KONG (Agencies): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said yesterday it was ready to help conduct Cambodia's 1998 national elections and offer other assistance to help bail the country out of its prolonged political crisis.
Members Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are monitoring political developments in Cambodia, which along with Laos and Myanmar, is to formally join ASEAN later this month, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Badawi said.
"Naturally we are concerned, and have told them so," said Badawi, who visited the three candidate members earlier this month. He reported on his trip to the other ASEAN foreign ministers at an informal meeting here yesterday.
But he insisted that Phnom Penh's troubles, including an intense rivalry by its joint Prime Ministers Norodom Ranarridh and Hun Sen which boiled over to a shootout between their supporters last month, would not endanger its entry into ASEAN.
"We know why it's happening -- because elections (are) coming so most parties are most anxious to get influence and to do whatever they can to enhance the chances of their respective leaders, perhaps to gain as many seats as possible," Badawi said.
"If it is necessary, if Cambodia feels that ASEAN could help them in some way as a group, then we can do it, for example if they want us to help in the training of the officials for the holding of the elections," he added.
Badawi pointed out that said the first election in Cambodia after the end of the civil war was "planned entirely by the United Nations" and that "this is going to be their first time to do it on their own."
Elections in Cambodia have been slated for May 1998.
Badawi recalled ASEAN's key role in a 1991 UN-brokered accord which ended the Cambodian civil war. "We in ASEAN have enough experience," he said. "If we can help by offering them some training, then that would be possible."
He stressed that no help had so far been extended in this area, "but our view is that we should be ready to extend cooperation."
Human Rights
ASEAN foreign ministers also discussed international concerns on Myanmar's human rights record yesterday, and problems that would be faced by Laos.
On Myanmar, Badawi said the military junta in Yangon must allay concerns expressed by the international community.
"I was also able to tell them of some of our concerns about what's happening there and with particular reference to the constructive engagement policy that we have with Myanmar," he added.
Western nations led by the United States have criticized ASEAN's decision to admit Myanmar, saying it would only embolden its military leaders who are accused of repressing the population.
ASEAN has rejected the criticism, with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad insisting last month that ASEAN might positively influence the current military leadership by admitting the country into the fold.
On integration into the ASEAN Free Trade Area, Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon told reporters that Laos "will have problems" after gaining entry into the organization.
"Economically, it's probably the least prepared, together with Cambodia," to accede to the other members' ASEAN Free Trade Area commitments, he told AFP.
ASEAN members are committed to a free trade area by 2003, but the three candidate members have been given until the end of 2007 to carry out corresponding import tariff cuts.