Burma and ASEAN

Burma and ASEAN

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) are to be applauded for their decision to put off
a decision on an application for Burma's full membership by the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).

The Philippine government deserves particular praise for
mustering support for the deferral, which coincides with yet
another spasm in the violence and oppression that so typifies the
ways of the military clique that has imposed itself on a cowed
and impoverished population.

In deferring the application by the SLORC, which was stripped
of any spurious claim to legitimacy when it was humiliated in the
1990 election it found so convenient to ignore, the foreign
ministers agreed the regime needed more time to prepare for
integration.

In the jargon of the regional grouping, Burma needed a deeper
understanding of ASEAN mechanisms and it had to train and prepare
officials for the responsibilities that full membership implies.

That might be a kind way of delivering what appears a serious
setback to the aspirations of the generals in Rangoon, who have
taken the granting of observer status two months ago as the
pretext to, or even justification for, an intensification of thug
rule.

If the junta thought that observer status would automatically
guarantee full membership of the regional grouping by next year,
it may well be mistaken. The ASEAN foreign ministers made clear
that the target date was too early and it would be difficult to
argue against that contention.

Full membership implies a great deal more than simply
happening to be in Southeast Asia, signing a few accords, hosting
a few gatherings and investing in a few multicolored shirts for
the end-of-conference shindig and photo-call.

It involves complex treaties and negotiations within the
framework of international law and trade conventions. It involves
a familiarity with international mechanisms that have been in
operation and embraced by most countries of the world for the
decades in which Burma's rulers cocooned themselves and their
country in benighted isolation.

To expect the junta to suddenly emerge fit and able to play a
full part in anything so sophisticate as a regional trade
grouping is optimistic to say the very least.

ASEAN's goal of admitting Burma, Cambodia and Laos to bring
the grouping to 10 by the year 2000 is certainly worthy but it
should not be blinded by that nice, round number if that means
the entry of a pariah regime that purports to represent a state.

That unappealing eventuality can be avoided by the inclusions
in negotiations of representatives of the elected National League
for Democracy in the interests of progress, national
reconciliation and, above all, fair play.

ASEAN should not rush in and accept Burma because its
officials can speak English, because it has embassies in most
ASEAN member states or for reasons of trade. ASEAN's credibility
in the international arena is at stake and it needs to consider
the issue carefully.

-- The Bangkok Post