Myanmar calls on Western nations to end confrontation
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat
BANGKOK (JP): Myanmar Foreign Minister U Win Aung during a security dialog meeting which involved representatives of the United States and the European Union, called on his country's critics to end their confrontational approach.
Speaking at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting here on Thursday Win Aung called for an end to the confrontational approach adopted by several Western countries that has led to a degree of isolation being imposed on Yangon.
"The olive branch we have offered has been spurned by those who are opposing us in the belief that increasing pressure, isolating us and putting sanctions on us would work...The confrontational approach leading to total anarchy and destruction can hardly promote the welfare of the people," he told the foreign ministerial delegates in the 23-member forum.
"If the confrontational approach is abandoned, there could emerge an atmosphere conducive to dialog," he added.
The ruling regime in Yangon has been censured by Western governments which accuse the regime of stifling democratic movements and other rights abuses.
The tense relations with Myanmar, who is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has also affected relations between the regional grouping and the European states.
The European nations have in the past few years refused to sit with Myanmar. Win Aung pointed out that his government was committed to building Myanmar, and categorically refuted that its existence remained a potential threat to regional security.
"We love our country as you love yours. We work for our people as you do for yours. I ask you to be patient and understanding at this time when we are building our nation," he asserted while adding that the "problems that we have today are the ones inherited, not of our making and are longstanding".
Win Aung spoke after a barrage of criticism against Yangon by other members of the ARF, which groups 37 countries from across Asia, the United States and the European Union.
Reflecting a consensus among most developed nations, EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten told reporters this week that Yangon represented a real risk to Asian regional security.
"The suppression of democracy, the appalling abuse of human rights, the use of forced labor, the treatment of ethnic minorities... the extent to which an unstable military regime has become a destabilizing political influence in the region -- those are all issues that we wish to discuss," he said.
The EU and the United States have both condemned Yangon for the treatment of its pro-democracy opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy won the 1990 polls with an overwhelming vote.
Win Aung, alluding to the various crises occurring in other countries in the region, pointed out that in Myanmar there is no mass exodus of refugees, mass arrests, ethnic cleansing and no unspeakable acts of religious or racial hatred.
He lauded the progress achieved saying that religious, social and business life was proceeding as normal, while noting that "over 40,000 private enterprises have been newly established".
"Even tourists can stroll the streets past midnight in perfect security...People can travel by public transportation throughout the land at any time of the day and night. Ten years ago it was not possible".
He conceded that a small area in the south was still in rebellion. "These are not rag-tag bands, they are well trained guerrilla armies". He said the government was doing everything it could to suppress these threats. "We are not evil persons as portrayed by some. We are loving, caring and kind-hearted human beings", he added.