Hashimoto urges Myanmar to pursue democratic reform

Hashimoto urges Myanmar to pursue democratic reform

SINGAPORE (AFP): Japanese Premier Ryutaro Hashimoto yesterday
urged Myanmar's military rulers to pursue democratic reforms and
bluntly warned them to play by "international rules" if they gain
admission into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN).

Hashimoto told a news conference on the last leg of a five-
nation tour of ASEAN members that Myanmar should not use its
membership as a "smokescreen" for "autocratic rule."

Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos are expected to be admitted by 2000
into ASEAN, which now includes Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, which have close
and strengthening links with Japan.

Hashimoto said once Myanmar joins ASEAN, it "will be brought
into the international community and would be subjected to the
international rules of the game."

"That I've stated to the leaders I've met with," he said.

"At the same time, I stated that their (Myanmar's) accession
to ASEAN should not provide a smokescreen for the autocratic rule
back home."

Hashimoto arrived in Singapore Sunday after visits to Brunei,
Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Hashimoto said there was "a very tense situation" between
Myanmar's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
and the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) led by
Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

"And with the student movement's demonstrations, I must say
that uncertainties are only increasing. So including these
uncertainties, we are watching with much concern the developments
in Myanmar," he said, using the name given to the country by
SLORC after it seized power in 1988.

"We shall maintain our dialogue with both SLORC ... as well as
NLD."

Hashimoto said Japan "cannot allow a setback ... or a reversal
of the trend towards democratization."

"We very much hope that the Myanmar government will work
towards democratization and make wise judgments to that end," the
Japanese leader added.

Summit

Hashimoto yesterday also called for an annual summit between
Japan and ASEAN after getting a favorable response from leaders
in the region to his proposal for regular top-level dialogues.

He said that leaders of the five ASEAN members he had visited
over the past week all endorsed his idea of a regular summit,
whether formal or informal, between the two sides.

"I don't think there were any leaders who showed a passive
response or a negative response," Hashimoto said.

He said he would send an emissary to the Philippines and
Thailand to explain his proposal to the two governments and
achieve a conclusive agreement with ASEAN on the summit proposal.

"I think the idea that I proposed can be realized," he said.

Asked how often the summits should be held, he said "I hope
we'll be able to meet at least once a year either formally or
informally."

"I think it is necessary for us to engage in such a dialogue,"
he added.

ASEAN leaders agreed last year to hold annual informal summits
and said they could invite close partners to such gatherings. The
first was held in Jakarta last November with leaders of Myanmar,
Cambodia and Laos -- all applying to become ASEAN members --
coming as guests.