U.S. and EU attack Myanmar's rights record

U.S. and EU attack Myanmar's rights record

JAKARTA (JP): The United States and the European Union (EU),
sitting together at a regional discussion with Myanmar yesterday,
lambasted the latter's human rights record and called for
improvements.

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign
Affairs D. Spring, on behalf of the EU, urged the State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) -- the official name of
Myanmar's government -- to bring about "democratic reforms and
implement, without delay, respect for human rights".

"The EU council of ministers ... expressed its concern at the
continuing deterioration in the political situation there, a
concern which I must relay to this meeting," Spring told the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum
(ARF).

The ARF groups ASEAN countries -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- with major
powers, including China, the EU, Japan, Russia and the United
States.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher urged
the ARF to use its influence on the Myanmar government, warning
that Yangon's repression of human rights threatened regional
stability.

"The SLORC's refusal to heed the desire of a majority of the
Burmese (Myanmarese) people for a transition to democratic rule
and its increased harassment of the democratic opposition not
only violates basic, universal human rights but raises the chance
of instability, bloodshed and migration within Burma and across
its borders," Christopher said.

The United States and the EU have spearheaded a campaign to
isolate Myanmar in an effort to compel the government to respect
the results of the 1990 national elections won by the opposition
led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

However ASEAN, which continues to pursue a constructive
engagement policy toward Myanmar, has welcomed the country as an
observer to the association, despite a warning from an EU
official, Manuel Marin, that this could jeopardize the
strengthening of ties between the two groups.

Christopher appeared to take a softer stance than before,
saying that all countries participating in the ARF should use
their engagement with Myanmar to promote concrete results,
especially after the ARF meetings.

"Burma's participation in the ARF and its closer relationship
with ASEAN makes its especially important that the process of
reconciliation move forward, not backward," the state secretary
said.

Meanwhile, Spring continued to press Myanmar to give a full
and satisfactory explanation of how "the Honorary Consul for
Denmark, Finland and certain other states", James Nichols, died
in custody on June 22.

"We ask that the Myanmar authorities provide this
information," Spring said.

Addressing a news conference on Monday, Myanmar Foreign
Minister Ohn Gyaw, who represented his country at yesterday's
forum, said that Nichols died after taking food which was "not
compatible" with his state of health.

Gyaw asserted that Nichols is a "citizen of Myanmar (Burma),
and is not qualified to represent any foreign country as a
consul" because he was convicted of illegally possessing foreign
currency in 1983 and sentenced to 75 days in prison.

In addition to the Myanmar issue, both Christopher and Spring
touched on security matters, especially those in the South China
Sea and the Korean Peninsula.

Both ministers agreed that the South China Sea problem,
sparked by overlapping claims over the Spratly islands by China
and four ASEAN countries -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and
Vietnam -- be solved in a peaceful manner.

Regarding the Korean Peninsula issue, they both agreed to
continue efforts in furthering positive developments on the
peninsula. They called on countries participating in the ARF to
contribute financial support for the Korean Peninsula Energy
Development Organization, which aims to avert the region from a
nuclear disaster.

"Measured against the costs of heightened tensions -- let
alone armed conflict -- such support is a responsible investment
in the security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region,"
Christopher said. (rid)