Indonesia blames EU over Myanmar

Indonesia blames EU over Myanmar

INDONESIA: The European Union (EU) would be to blame if a scheduled summit with East Asian countries collapsed over concerns about the rule of Myanmar's military junta, a senior Indonesian diplomat said on Monday.

Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty A. Natalegawa said the EU was guilty of double standards -- insisting its 10 new members could automatically join the October talks but seeking to block Myanmar's participation.

The two-day summit of heads of state and government from Asia and Europe is due to open in Hanoi on Oct. 8.

"One must not lose sight of the fact that on the side of the EU, they are insisting to have all 10 of their new members as a group in too," Marty told reporters.

ASEAN countries on the other hand "don't make it our business to examine the conduct of (EU) individual countries or put them under a microscope before admitting them or agreeing to their participation" in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), he said. -- AFP