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.