Hassan Wirayuda discusses RI concerns over Myanmar
Hassan Wirayuda discusses RI concerns over Myanmar
Jerry Norton, Reuters, Jakarta
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda held talks in Myanmar
on Friday, the first senior overseas visitor to the widely
shunned nation since the junta purged its prime minister amid
corruption charges last month.
Hassan flew to Myanmar on an unannounced visit "to communicate
our view, and one may even say our concern," about developments
in the former Burma, ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said.
There was no official comment from Yangon, which was
celebrating a national holiday, but an official said Hassan met
his Myanmar counterpart Nyan Win and new Prime Minister Lt. Gen.
Soe Win.
There was no immediate word on whether he met paramount leader
Than Shwe, which one source said Hassan was hoping to do.
Hassan appeared to want to know what the military junta's
policies were in the wake of the purge of Prime Minister Khin
Nyunt, who was also head of military intelligence, and many of
his associates over the last few weeks.
The government said Khin Nyunt's family was involved in
corruption and posed a serious threat to Myanmar and its armed
forces, but the sudden dismantling of his military intelligence
power base took everyone by surprise.
It even took aback Myanmar's fellow members of the 10-nation
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) which have been
following a policy of "constructive engagement" with a government
shunned in the West.
"This is the first diplomatic gambit from ASEAN and the
outside world to pick up lines of communication with the SPDC
since the removal of General Khin Nyunt," said an ASEAN diplomat,
referring to the military government by its acronym.
The West and some Southeast Asian neighbors have criticized
Myanmar for its human rights record and its detention of
democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Khin Nyunt was believed to be willing to at least talk to her
and his removal consolidated the grip of the junta's hawks led by
Than Shwe, who is thought determined to ignore her.
Indonesia swore in a new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,
last month. So far there has been no public indication his policy
on Myanmar will differ from that of his predecessor.
Like most of Myanmar's fellow members of ASEAN, Indonesia has
been critical of some of the junta's actions, including the
detention of Suu Kyi, but has not been inclined to follow the
West in imposing sanctions on the regime.
Shortly after Khin Nyunt lost his job, Hassan had said: "It's
an internal matter for Myanmar, but we hope the appointment of a
new prime minister won't have a negative impact to the prospects
for democratization and reconciliation."
Hassan was due to Jakarta on Friday, Marty said.
"This visit has been made deliberately low key, with the
intention so that he can have an opportunity to have good, candid
and frank exchanges with the Myanmar side," he said.