Democracy push disagreement

Democracy push disagreement

BANGKOK (Reuters): The fostering of democracy in military- ruled Myanmar cannot be the responsibility of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thai premier Chuan Leekpai said on Tuesday.

He said the 10-member grouping could act only as supporters of greater democracy in Myanmar, but ultimately the responsibility lay with the Yangon authorities.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Amnesty International said in a report last week that Myanmar's widespread abuses against ethnic minorities -- including killings, torture and rape -- had worsened since it joined ASEAN in 1997. It urged ASEAN to pressure Yangon on human rights.