Indonesia refuses to pressure Myanmar
Indonesia refuses to pressure Myanmar
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia yesterday reasserted its refusal to
take a tougher line against Myanmar, saying that it would
continue its "constructive engagement" with the ruling junta in
Yangon.
Speaking at Bina Graha here yesterday, Minister of Foreign
Affairs Ali Alatas said Indonesia has no intention of isolating
Yangon, because the internal strife going on there was purely a
domestic matter.
"We don't see the benefit of such an isolation," Alatas said,
adding that Indonesia and the other members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hold similar stances.
Alatas made the comments on the eve of a two-day visit by U.S.
envoys sent by President Bill Clinton on a six-nation tour to
coordinate an international response to Yangon's crackdown on
activists.
Washington has threatened sanctions against Yangon.
The two envoys -- Stanley Roth of the Institute of Peace and
retired Ambassador William Brown -- are scheduled to arrive here
tomorrow. They had earlier met on Monday with Japanese foreign
minister Yukihiko Ikeda in Tokyo and with Philippine President
Fidel Ramos in Manila on Tuesday.
They are scheduled to arrive in Singapore today.
The recent crackdown has been met with a generally muted
response from ASEAN members, who maintain that they are adhering
to the principal of non-interference and constructive engagement.
Myanmar is set to join Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as a member of ASEAN
some time in the near future.
Roth and Brown are set to fly to Malaysia and Thailand after
their visit here.
Alatas yesterday defended ASEAN's stance of constructive
engagement by saying that it was aimed at inviting Myanmar out of
its isolation.
"It doesn't mean that we, as a friend, don't talk to Myanmar.
However, we don't agree that a country like Myanmar should be
alienated or isolated," Alatas told journalists yesterday after
accompanying visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar on a courtesy call to President Soeharto.
"We in ASEAN hold on to the principle of noninterference in
domestic affairs ... We should be free to resolve our own
affairs," the minister remarked.
He said that Indonesia and ASEAN know where to draw the line
in regard to domestic matters and do not want to cross that line.
Speaking of the visit by the two American envoys, Alatas said
their mission here and with the other nations is to exchange
information on the position of the respective governments.
"They just want to express their position and hope to listen
to ours. Our position is already clear. Like ASEAN's position
towards Myanmar, (it) won't change," he said. (mds)