EU and ASEAN divided on Myanmar contact group

EU and ASEAN divided on Myanmar contact group

JAKARTA (AFP): The European Union (EU) has thrown its support behind a Canadian proposal to set up a UN-linked contact group on Myanmar, but senior ASEAN officials have rejected the idea, delegates said yesterday.

"It is a possible way of getting a real dialogue going. But any way is welcomed at the moment," said Gwyn Morgan, head of the Southeast Asia division at the European Commission, after the opening of the ASEAN post-ministerial conference.

Canada on Tuesday proposed a United Nations-sponsored contact group which would open a dialog on the human rights situation in Myanmar.

But delegates of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have flatly rejected the proposal.

"That was a bit disturbing for me, I don't think we will support that. We will respond to it in our quiet way, not in public," said Ahmad Kamil Jaafar, Secretary General of the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said Tuesday it was important to win the support of ASEAN countries if the proposed contact group was to succeed.

"They will win support from their friends, but not from ASEAN ... I think they (Canada) are barking up the wrong tree," Jaafar told AFP.

He said ASEAN had a different way of dealing with the problems of Myanmar.

"We would like to discuss frankly and even forcefully issues in the quiet. It is not our habit to play to the gallery," Jaafar said.

The European parliament was Wednesday due to hold a debate on EU relations with Myanmar, given the recent death in custody of a European businessman in Yangon.

A senior Irish delegate at the post-ministerial conference told AFP that the members of the EU would take a "tough line" on Myanmar in response to the strong public pressure in many European countries.

ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, has a policy of "constructive engagement" stressing diplomatic and trade links to promote more openness in Myanmar.

Western countries has called for a more hard-line approach against the Myanmarese military junta.