Myanmar thanks ASEAN for tolerance at Bali summit

Myanmar thanks ASEAN for tolerance at Bali summit

Agencies, Yangon

Myanmar on Friday thanked Southeast Asian nations for opting not
to criticize the regime at their summit this week, saying that
"cooperation, not confrontation" would help it shift to
democracy.

Myanmar's military junta had been braced for a lashing over
its detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, at this
week's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in
Bali, Indonesia.

But despite its refusal to release Suu Kyi before the meeting,
ASEAN leaders hailed recent events in Myanmar as "positive
developments" and said international sanctions would not help
promote democratic change.

"By working together as partners, the nations of ASEAN are
showing that cooperation, not confrontation, is the path to a
just, democratic and harmonious world," the junta said in a
statement.

"The ASEAN partnership will also help Myanmar move toward its
own goal of a stable, peaceful democratic state," it said. "The
Government of Myanmar extends its thanks to the fellow members of
the ASEAN."

The ASEAN resolution, which would have come as a great relief
to newly appointed Prime Minister Gen. Khin Nyunt, also lent its
support to his new "road map" to democracy.

The initiative envisages "free and fair" elections and a new
constitution to be written in a national convention, but does not
mention Suu Kyi or any timeframe for reform.

"The ASEAN leaders agreed that the road map outlined by the
Myanmar Prime Minister is a pragmatic plan that deserves support,
and agreed that the developments so far have been positive," the
statement said.

Analysts said ASEAN wanted to give the regime a chance to show
it was sincere about pursuing reforms, and extended the benefit
of the doubt to Khin Nyunt, who is reputedly a moderate figure
among the generals.

However, Washington has pointedly disagreed with the Southeast
Asian leaders' assessment, noting that the junta continues to
detain Suu Kyi and other seniors members of her National League
for Democracy.

The State Department said this week that it saw no "positive
developments" in Myanmar, where the opposition leader was put
under house arrest last month after four months of detention at a
secret location.

"We don't see those and we don't see any need for a road map
unless it has the full participation of the opposition," said
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Friday gave the
Yangon regime another vote of support, dismissing the U.S.
criticisms and praising Myanmar for explaining its domestic
political situation at Bali.

"We have been told about progressive developments and we
consider that Myanmar has shown its responsibility as a member of
the group by explaining the situation to ASEAN," he said as
quoted by the Agence France-Presse.

Thaksin said he was optimistic about prospects for change in
Myanmar and that Thailand -- which has a prickly relationship
with its neighbor -- would not pile on any more pressure as that
would be counterproductive.

"Western countries do not understand the problem as they are
too far from the region," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, authorities stopped followers of Suu Kyi from
paying their respects to her on Friday at her Yangon home where
many say the Nobel Peace laureate is being detained, an official
of her National League for Democracy party said.

About 30 party members were turned away at a checkpoint at an
intersection near Suu Kyi's lakeside residence on the Full Moon
Day of Thadingyut that marks the end of Buddhist lent, The
Associated Press reported.

It's traditional that homage is paid to elders and teachers on
the holiday. Most of Myanmar's 42 million people are Buddhists.
Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.