ASEAN's dialog partners still wary on Myanmar

ASEAN's dialog partners still wary on Myanmar

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Kyodo): The United States, European Union and Australia advised the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) yesterday that military-led Myanmar needs to be watched carefully despite the welcome release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"We warmly welcome the Nobel laureate's release," said U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher at the outset of a two-day meeting of ASEAN and its seven dialog partners -- the U.S., EU, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

"It gives us reason to hope that Burma's (Myanmar's) fundamental problems can be resolved," he said.

But Christopher urged the ASEAN countries that "we should remember that those problems continue, including grave human rights violations, massive forced labor and drug trafficking."

The U.S. secretary of state suggested that Washington's hard- line policy aimed at isolating Myanmar had a role to play in bringing about Suu Kyi's release July 10 from almost six years of house arrest, adding it was accomplished through "the efforts of each of our nations."

The EU also took partial credit for Suu Kyi's release, with Spanish Foreign Minister Javier Solana telling the meeting's participants, "We may undoubtedly be justified in congratulating ourselves."

"However we should not confine ourselves to applauding this occurrence and thus lose sight of the fact that, within the climate of political normalization, there is still a long way to go in Myanmar," he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans cautioned that it remains "vital that none of us in the region should now send a message to the military leadership of Myanmar that it has now done enough simply by releasing Aung San Suu Kyi."

He said the generals in control of the country must not be given the impression that they need simply "wait out international disapproval for a year or two more and that it will be accepted into regional organizations without need for further change."

Evans was evidently referring to Myanmar's intentions to join ASEAN and the regional grouping's enthusiasm to bring all the 10 nations of Southeast Asia under its umbrella, possibly by the end of the century.

On July 27, Myanmar took the first step by acceding to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which is a precondition for observer status and eventual full membership.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, leading the meeting's discussion of Myanmar on behalf of ASEAN, reiterated the regional grouping's stance that the best way to effect change in Myanmar "would be for the international community to continue to engage Myanmar constructively and to assist it in its national reconciliation and development efforts."

He said the wrong way to bring that about would be "to try to isolate it or impose sanctions."

Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono agreed on the inadvisability of isolating Myanmar, officials said.

He was quoted as saying Japan would adopt a more "realistic" stance and strive to promote improvements in Myanmar, including democratization and respect for human rights, through continued dialogue and the provision of official development assistance on a "case-by-case" basis.