ASEAN Partners Engage Burma

[agptimor@xxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: ASEAN Partners Engage Burma

/* Written  6:39 am  Jul 28, 1994 by apakabar@xxxxxxxxx in gn:reg.indonesia */
/* ---------- "ASEAN Partners Engage Burma" ---------- */

Forwarded message:
>From julia_read@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thu Jul 28 03:54 EDT 1994
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 17:52:25 +1000
Subject: IN-  ASEAN/Burma
To: John MacDougall <apakabar@xxxxxxxxx>
Message-id: <01HF8YCLFTW20012JP@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Content-Type: text
Content-Length: 3771

Mail*Link(r) SMTP               IN:  ASEAN/Burma

DATE=7/27/94
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-162662
TITLE=ASEAN/BURMA (L-O)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE SIX COUNTRIES OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN 
NATIONS (ASEAN) AND THEIR SEVEN DIALOGUE PARTNERS HAVE ENDED 
TALKS IN BANGKOK.  V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS THE NEWS 
CONFERENCE CLOSING SIX DAYS OF DISCUSSIONS IN THE THAI CAPITAL 
(WEDNESDAY) WAS DOMINATED BY QUESTIONS ABOUT BURMA:

TEXT:  JOURNALISTS PRESSED THE FOREIGN MINISTERS ABOUT REPORTS 
THAT ASEAN PARTNERS SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND THE 
EUROPEAN UNION HAD SOFTENED THEIR APPROACH TOWARD BURMA'S 
MILITARY GOVERNMENT.

THAI OFFICIALS WERE QUOTED (TUESDAY) AS SAYING ASEAN PARTNERS NOW
AGREED THAT ISOLATING BURMA IS WRONG AND THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S 
POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT IS THE CORRECT METHOD TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE.

AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, GARETH EVANS, SAID THERE WAS GENERAL
AGREEMENT THAT PROGRESS TOWARD REFORM IN BURMA SHOULD BE MEASURED
BY BENCHMARKS.  

THESE INCLUDE THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI, NOW 
IN HER SIXTH YEAR OF HOUSE ARREST, IMPROVED ACCESS TO PRISONERS 
AND WHAT MR. EVANS CALLS SOME REALITY IN A MILITARY-RUN 
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION WHICH HE SAYS NOW LACKS FREE 
PARTICIPATION.  

MR. EVANS SAID FREEDOM FOR AUNG SAN SUU KYI WOULD, IN HIS WORDS, 
MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE SYMBOLICALLY IN BURMA'S RELATIONS WITH THE
REST OF THE WORLD.  BUT HE SAID THERE WAS A WILLINGNESS TO WAIT 
FOR RESULTS FROM THE ASEAN ENGAGEMENT POLICY:

                         // EVANS ACT //

         BUT THAT IS REALLY ONLY ONE ELEMENT IN A MUCH MORE 
         COMPLEX EQUATION INVOLVING MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THAT 
         COUNTRY, ALL OF WHOM HAVE LEGITIMATE INTERESTS TO 
         PROTECT AND ADVANCE; AND WE SHOULD ALL BE IN THE 
         BUSINESS OF TRYING BY ALL APPROPRIATE MEANS TO IMPROVE 
         THE SITUATION.  

                          // END ACT //

MR. EVANS' COMMENTS WERE ECHOED BY THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF 
SINGAPORE AND INDONESIA.

SPEAKING FOR THE UNITED STATES, UNDERSECRETARY SECRETARY OF 
STATE, JOAN SPERO, SAID WASHINGTON IS ALSO LOOKING FOR RESULTS 
FROM ENGAGEMENT:

                         // SPERO ACT //

         WE DO HOPE THAT THE POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT THAT IS BEING 
         PURSUED BY A NUMBER OF OUR COLLEAGUES, WE HOPE THAT IT 
         WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL KEEP A WATCHING EYE ON IT. 
         AND I THINK WE BELIEVE THE KINDS OF BENCHMARKS THAT 
         SENATOR EVANS LAID OUT MAKE A LOT OF SENSE FOR THAT 
         POLICY OF THEIRS.

                          // END ACT //

// OPT //  REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION THIS WEEK 
REFERRED TO WHAT THEY CALLED A POLICY OF CRITICAL DIALOGUE TOWARD
RANGOON.  THE RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI, AND OPENING A 
POLITICAL DIALOGUE WITH THE WINNERS OF 1990 ELECTIONS, REMAIN KEY
E-U DEMANDS.

// OPT //  HOWEVER, FRENCH MINISTER OF EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, ALAIN 
LAMASSOURE, SPEAKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR, ALSO INDICATED A 
WILLINGNESS TO WAIT FOR RESULTS FROM THE ASEAN POLICY:

                 // LAMASSOURE TRANSLATOR ACT //

         WE SEE THAT THERE ARE NEW ELEMENTS WHICH ENABLE US TO BE
         SLIGHTLY MORE OPTIMISTIC IN THIS VERY PAINFUL CASE.  AND
         WE DECIDED TO COORDINATE OUR ACTION TO REACH THE RESULT 
         WE ALL WANT.

                    // END ACT // END OPT //

LAST WEEK'S ASEAN MINISTERIAL MEETING MARKED THE FIRST TIME BURMA
HAS ATTENDED AN ASEAN FUNCTION.  BURMESE FOREIGN MINISTER OHN 
GYAW WAS QUOTED AS SAYING RANGOON IS READY TO HOLD NEGOTIATIONS 
WITH THE UNITED NATIONS AT THE REQUEST OF SECRETARY GENERAL 
BOUTROS BOUTROS GHALI. (SIGNED)

NEG/DR/JLT/MMK

27-Jul-94 11:13 AM EDT (1513 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America