ASEAN warns Western powers to handle Myanmar issue delicately
ASEAN warns Western powers to handle Myanmar issue delicately
P. Parameswaran, Agence France-Presse, Phnom Penh
ASEAN defended its policy on Myanmar on Sunday and cautioned Western powers to handle the issue of restoring democracy in the country delicately, fearing it could blow up into another Yugoslavia and be the focus of intense external power rivalry.
Ong Keng Yong, secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the group had managed to contain the Myanmar issue within the country's boundaries with its "constructive engagement" policy.
"Speaking as the ASEAN Secretary-General, I am not talking about the right or wrong of the institutions in Myanmar, but what is important is for everyone to understand the complexities of Myanmar," Ong told AFP in an interview ahead of a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers.
Reacting to a barrage of criticism leveled at ASEAN for what some have called its failure to restore democracy in Myanmar, he said: "The situation there should not be allowed to develop into a ugly confrontation that will destabilize the situation in Southeast Asia."
Citing the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, Ong said military-ruled Myanmar, with up to 10 major communities and more than 100 linguistic groups located alongside China and the South Asian continent, could flare up into "another Yugoslavia, multiplied many times over."
"We sometimes forget that this unique piece of geography called Myanmar can be a major destabilizing factor in the Indian ocean, not just in Southeast Asia, which is just a small part of the equation," he said.
Yangon arrested Aung San Suu Kyi after a bloody May 30 clash between supporters of her National League for Democracy (NLD) and backers of the military regime, leading to intensified criticism of the junta.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell labeled Myanmar's generals "thugs" and vowed to push ASEAN states to confront the recalcitrant country during a series of regional meetings here.
In a move seen as a concession to its detractors, ASEAN secretariat spokesman M.C. Abad said later that ASEAN ministers intended to issue an unprecedented statement of concern over the recent developments.
The statement, widely seen as a departure from the group's normal policy of non-interference in members' domestic affairs, was a unanimous issue among members, he said.
"This is the first time that ASEAN has taken a pro-active stand on Myanmar on the record," he told AFP.
However, Ong added: "I do not want to confront Mr. Powell or anyone else critical of Myanmar but I just want to state the facts."
"By engaging Myanmar, we have put this Myanmar issue in this Pandora's box. It does not impinge heavily on anyone's strategic interests -- China, India, the United States or even Indonesia. It is basically a manageable issue.
"Are we prepared to open the Pandora's box? If we are, can we afford to do that?"
Ong said that if ASEAN dictated to any of its member states how their governments should be run, "we will be setting a dangerous precedent and we will be known as facilitators of regime change or political status quo.
Ong admitted, however, that Yangon could provide "better treatment" to Suu Kyi.
"In the case of ASEAN, many of us wish that her treatment can be better but at the same time, it is important to realize that there are two sides of the coin."
Myanmar's Foreign Minister Win Aung, speaking separately on Sunday, said the events of May 30 were "very, very unfortunate" and his government was working toward the release of Suu Kyi.
"We are working on that, even though I cannot say how soon, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow or like that," he said when asked whether she would be released.
Aside from Myanmar, ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Statement -- Page 11