ASEAN-U.S. relations at risk over Myanmar chairmanships issue

ASEAN-U.S. relations at risk over Myanmar chairmanships issue

Agencies, Bangkok

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick welcomed the regional efforts to get Myanmar to reform but warned of "severe limitations" on U.S.-ASEAN relations if the military-ruled state chaired the grouping.

"I did express our concern about how it would hinder our dealings with ASEAN if Burma were the chair, but I recognize that's a decision for the ASEAN countries to make," Zoellick told reporters in Bangkok on Wednesday using the former name for Myanmar when it was under British rule.

"Burma's role puts severe limitations on what the U.S. can do, so I can't go beyond that at this point, we'll see what ASEAN decides to do."

Zoellick is on a 10-day trip to Southeast Asia, and met Wednesday with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon to discuss Washington's views about the pace of reforms in Myanmar.

Parliamentarians in several countries in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations have urged their governments to block Myanmar from assuming the rotating ASEAN chair in 2006 because of Yangon's lack of democratic reforms.

Zoellick declined to say if the U.S. would boycott ASEAN meetings were Myanmar to become chair, but Washington in the past has said it might boycott ASEAN meetings in Yangon unless Myanmar adopted political reforms, including the unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Now it's a real question of whether others can continue to try to press the regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi, move towards a serious process of democratic reconciliation," Zoellick said.

"There are more voices from Southeast Asia now raising concerns about the political situation in Burma than there were in the past. I think that's a good step."

Europe and the United States, who refuse to believe the former Burma's assurances it is moving towards democracy in its own way, have threatened to boycott high-level meetings with ASEAN should they take place in Yangon on the junta's watch.

Thailand said on Wednesday that Myanmar might skip its turn as chairman of ASEAN, presenting a possible face-saving solution for the 10-member regional group.

"It's a possibility, one of the possibilities they are thinking of," Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Souphamongkon told reporters asking whether Yangon would miss the chairmanship.

ASEAN is loath to take direct action as it would contravene the group's sacred principle of non-interference in the affairs of an individual member.

Speculation has arisen that Thailand might be negotiating a compromise solution. It has strong commercial ties with Yangon's reclusive generals and has favored "constructive engagement" with them rather than sanctions.

One rumored outcome would be for Myanmar, which has been under military rule of one form or another since 1962, to become chairman, but for Thailand to host all the big diplomatic meetings.

Kantathi hinted that might be a possible solution.

"What we are working on with them of course would be a dual track situation," Kantathi said without elaboration. "We would like to see to democracy and national reconciliation being realized and we would like to see also that ASEAN can function effectively."