Associated Press
ASEAN Rejects US Call to Suspend Myanmar
By VIJAY JOSHI 11.18.07, 5:14 AM ET
SINGAPORE -
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Sunday rejected the U.S. Senate's call to suspend Myanmar, saying the military-ruled country is like a troubled child who must be disciplined with dialogue.
"Myanmar is part of our family and it is the principle involved," ASEAN secretary-general Ong Keng Yong told reporters, a day before an annual summit of Southeast Asian leaders convenes in Singapore. "It's like you as a parent, if you have a troubled child, do you say, `... go out of the house, I don't want to talk to you?'"
The U.S. Senate on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution urging ASEAN to consider "appropriate disciplinary measures, including suspension, until such time as the government of Burma has demonstrated improved respect for and commitment to human rights. " Myanmar is also known as Burma.
ASEAN's Senate snub is not unexpected since it has said expelling Myanmar is not an option. Still, Myanmar - under military rule since 1962 - has become a major embarrassment for the association, which is under intense pressure from trading partners U.S. and Europe to bring about change in that country.
The pressure intensified after the junta's troops and police opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in late September, killing at least 15 people.
A round of subsequent diplomacy by U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari led to some apparent concessions by the military rulers, including an indication that they will restart a reconciliation process with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest.
"Let us build on that," said Ong. "The challenge for ASEAN is to prevent slippage of what Gambari has achieved," he said. "Our approach is not to take such a confrontational, drastic action, especially when it doesn't yield good results."
The Senate resolution, introduced by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., also urged the 10-nation ASEAN to take "substantial steps to ensure peaceful transition to democracy in Burma."
Washington said U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab will underscore U.S. concerns when she meets with ASEAN economic ministers Monday.
ASEAN has often cited its policy of noninterference in one another's affairs for its inability to do much about Myanmar, though that stand has become increasingly diluted with Southeast Asian leaders expressing frustration with the junta publicly.
It is likely ASEAN leaders will speak their minds when they meet privately with Myanmar Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Sein during a closed-door dinner Monday night. Appointed in October, Thein Sein recently paid diplomatic visits to neighboring Vietnam and Laos.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
2 comments:
This is the time to know clearly that China & ASEAN will never change their attitude and they will never consider sakes of the Burmese people. Moreover, they are determined to protect military junta because they could make a lot of profits for their-selves as well as for their countries from uneducated Burmese generals who monopolized Burma's rich natural resources. They may or may not know that they have been deeply involving in Burmese internal affair by firmly and clearly standing on military junta's side for decades. They may or may not know that 50 millions Burmese people are angry to them for their shameless selfish manners.
The worst countries neglecting Burmese people are Singapore, China and India because they know that Burma can overwhelm the region if she is in the hands of educated democratic people.
My point here to say to all Burmese is we are not lonely in the battle against junta. Many strong countries are behind us and willing to help us. What we need to do is to fully co-operate with those countries and to show supportive manners world-wide to them. Meanwhile, neglect China, Singapore, India and Russia like they neglected to our Burmese. Once they firmly and shamelessly stand on world's most notorious inhuman junta's side only thing our Burmese can prove that they are wrong is by showing our support to US,UN,EU,Canada,UK,France,Australia etc.
I will not distract my colleagues who wish to hold strikes in front of China, Russia or Singapore embassies but I want to persuade them to take part in an alternative way to prove that they are on wrong side by doing a world-wide supportive campaigns on a set date in front of US/UK/France/Canada/ Australia/Japan embassies or at any convenient places in various part of the world.
Dear friend,
Time will come soon. We are doing to reach that time asap. We (Burmese people) are not poor heart, but strong mind and we must note that "How China, Singapore, India and Russia act on our country while this period" and we must act them when the time comes. Don't forget when the time comes to screw them, wherever you are.
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