Thailand defends ASEAN policy

Thailand defends ASEAN policy

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand opened an international think-tank
conference here yesterday with a defense of ASEAN's policy of
constructive engagement against the "morally-driven" foreign
policy of some Western nations.

Thailand's deputy foreign, minister Pitak Intaravirayanon,
said sanctions affected the welfare of average citizens rather
than a nation's rulers and poisoned the atmosphere, making dialog
more difficult.

But he said intervention "may sometimes be justified" when
domestic instability spilled over to affect other countries.

He did not name any specific countries, referring only to
"non-conformist states", but he was clearly alluding to two of
Thailand's neighbors, Myanmar and Cambodia.