RI supports Myanmar's bid for ASEAN membership
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia supports Myanmar's wish to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said yesterday that the possibility of Yangon becoming a member of ASEAN had been touched upon during a meeting between President Soeharto and the chairman of Myanmar's military junta, Gen. Than Shwe, at the Merdeka Palace yesterday.
Formed in 1967 as a regional socio-economic grouping, ASEAN is comprised of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
"Of course Indonesia gives its support, while noting that to become a member of ASEAN there are certain procedures that Myanmar has to follow," Moerdiono told reporters.
Myanmar was invited as a guest to last year's ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok.
Than Shwe arrived here on Monday for a four-day state visit. Today he is scheduled to visit the state-owned aircraft manufacturer IPTN in Bandung, West Java, before leaving for Singapore tomorrow.
Ties
During yesterday's meeting, the two leaders agreed to further promote economic and commercial ties.
Indonesia and other ASEAN members have been criticized for maintaining a policy which they call "constructive engagement" with the military government in Yangon.
Western nations, including the United States, have advocated a policy of isolating Yangon because of its human rights abuses.
The State Law and Order Restoration Council, which Than Shwe chairs, retained control of the country in 1990 by ignoring the results of a national election, which was won by Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, Suu Kyi has been kept under house arrest.
To foster better ties, it was agreed yesterday that direct flights would be commenced between Jakarta and Yangon.
Moerdiono said that a flight from Yangon to Denpasar, Bali, would also be introduced for planes traveling to Australia.
He said that the two countries were examining the possibility of cooperation in matters of natural gas and that Myanmar was seriously considering the purchase of Indonesian-made railway carriages. (mds)