Asia states refuses to bow to EU demand over Myanmar
Asia states refuses to bow to EU demand over Myanmar
Associated Press, Bangkok
Asian nations are insisting that military-ruled Myanmar be included in an October summit with Europe, despite strenuous objections by the European Union (EU), Thailand's foreign minister told a visiting EU envoy on Thursday.
The envoy, Hans van den Broek, met on Thursday with Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai on the latest stop of his Asian tour aimed at salvaging the Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The planned Oct. 8-9 summit is under threat by the EU's demand that Myanmar be kept out because of its anti-democratic record and continued house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Van den Broek earlier visited Vietnam, Japan and China to get a sense of the Asian position.
"He wanted to find out ... how much leeway there is for a compromise," Foreign Ministry spokesman Sihasak Phuangketkeow said.
The summit between EU and Asian leaders is aimed at forging closer economic and political ties between the two continents. In the past, the summit has been attended by the EU's 15 original members and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' seven founding members. China, Japan and South Korea are the other non- ASEAN participants.
ASEAN says that its three newest members - Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos - should also be included this year if the EU wants its 10 newest members to join the meeting.
Surakiart told van den Broek that this remained Thailand's position as well, Sihasak said.
He said there could be some flexibility on the level of Myanmar participation, suggesting that Europe could accept a low- ranking official from that country instead of its leader.
"But it's up to Myanmar to decide, and there should be no conditions attached by the European side," Sihasak said.
Vietnam will discuss with Myanmar the level of participation once the EU agrees to let all 13 Asian countries join ASEM, he said.
"The principle is still there for us, but I think there are various alternatives we can discuss to arrive at a compromise," he said.
Last month, the EU scrapped talks with Asian finance and economics ministers protesting Myanmar, against which it has slapped numerous sanctions.
The 25-nation EU wants Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi released from house arrest and allowed to take part in a national convention to draft a constitution - billed by the military government as a first step toward democracy.
The EU has imposed a travel ban on the country's military and frozen its financial assets in Europe.
The founding members of ASEAN are Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.