Myanmar's raid on opposition affects ASEAN-EU talks
Myanmar's raid on opposition affects ASEAN-EU talks
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Agencies): The renewed crackdown by Myanmar's military junta on pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has endangered breakthrough EU-Southeast Asian talks set for December, ASEAN officials admitted on Friday.
Responding to remarks by European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy that the conference in Laos had been jeopardized, some Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) representatives grudgingly accepted doubts over whether the meeting of ASEAN and EU ministers would go ahead.
But they said they were hopeful the EU would not allow Myanmar to affect ties with all ASEAN, which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"We are concerned about its effects on the meeting in Laos, but it depends on new developments as the date approaches," one senior ASEAN official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "But we hope that the EU will not allow the developments in Myanmar to keep ASEAN-EU ties hostage."
Another official said ASEAN remained hopeful its policy of engaging Myanmar, instead of isolating it, would bear the desired democratic reforms.
The officials were speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN economics ministers in this northern Thai city.
On Friday Lamy, who is attending the ASEAN meeting, reiterated the EU's condemnation of the ruling junta's crackdown against the Suu Kyi-led opposition in Myanmar.
"We are extremely concerned by the developments in the country and what has happened recently does not help at all," Lamy told reporters.
Asked whether the ASEAN-EU meeting would go ahead as scheduled in the Laotian capital Vientiane, he said: "I don't know, it's too soon to say yes or no."
In a news conference in Bangkok on Thursday, Lamy said: "What has happened recently with Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi does not go in the right direction.
"This situation cannot continue and internal steps have to be taken by this regime and the democratic forces."
Ministerial meetings between the EU and ASEAN were suspended after Myanmar was admitted to the regional organization in 1997 amid protests by the Europeans and the United States.
ASEAN has a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of member nations, a stance which has consistently rankled the EU and Washington.
However in April the EU decided its stance against the junta should not affect its longstanding relations with ASEAN and agreed to attend the ministerial meeting in Vientiane.
Lamy said EU officials were expected to discuss the recent developments in Myanmar and consult member states.
"You all know we have a huge problem there and that the EU has consistently deplored the continual violation of human rights by this regime. We have a clear position. It has not shifted an inch since it was taken by the ministers," he said Thursday.
Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and other leaders of her National League for Democracy have been placed under de facto house arrest since last month in a renewed clampdown against political dissent by Myanmar's military rulers.
NLD deputy chairman Tin Oo is still being held at a military base 50 kilometers north of Yangon.
The NLD won a landslide general election victory in 1990, but the junta has never recognized the result and is accused by foreign critics and human rights groups of severe repression of its opponents.
A senior member of Myanmar's ruling military government said here on Friday there was no risk of his administration being swept from power by a popular uprising like the revolt in Yugoslavia.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a regional trade meeting in Thailand, Brig. Gen. David Abel denied the country had been ruined by international economic isolation and insisted that democracy would one day be restored.
"In my personal opinion there is no risk at all," Abel said when asked if he was worried there could be a Belgrade-style uprising on the streets of Yangon.