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.