SE Asian states meet to focus on Thai aid
SE Asian states meet to focus on Thai aid
Associated Press, Bangkok
The leaders of four Southeast Asian nations are meeting this week
in Myanmar to discuss how Thailand can help its less prosperous
neighbors increase trade and improve their tourism,
communications and other industries.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, will host the leaders of
Thailand, Laos and Cambodia on Wednesday in Bagan, 510 kilometers
(315 miles) northwest of the Myanmar capital Yangon.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Saturday that
Thailand would discuss ways of helping neighboring countries
develop, which in turn would curb the flow of economic migrants
into the country and discourage the production of illegal drugs.
"Economics is the main issue that will dominate the
discussions," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday
before departing Phnom Penh for Myanmar. "All agreements will
also be about economic cooperation and development between the
four countries."
Preliminary meetings were being held on Monday in Yangon to
work out details of a declaration on economic cooperation in such
areas as trade, agriculture, industry, tourism, communications
and transport, Myanmar and Thai officials said.
However, discussions with Myanmar on easing the crackdown
against the country's pro-democracy movement and its leader Aung
San Suu Kyi, are not on the agenda, Thai Foreign Minister
Surakiart Sathirathai said last week.
Suu Kyi was detained in May following a clash between her
followers and government supporters.
Myanmar's military government has long been under fire for its
poor human rights record and its failure to hand over power to a
democratically elected government. Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy party won 1990 elections by a landslide but was
prevented from taking power when the junta nullified the result.
Western nations, including the United States, have sought to
pressure the junta with economic and political sanctions.
Thaksin said Thai aid would help ease political tensions in
Myanmar, leading eventually to the restoration of democracy.