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.