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Burma in ASEAN Limelight (VOA)
Date=7/27/95
Type=Background Report
Number=5-30717
Title=Burma / Asean
Byline=Dan Robinson
Dateline=Brunei
Intro: Burma's foreign minister has arrived in
Brunei, where Southeast Asian countries are holding
annual talks and preparing to meet key dialogue
partners next week. Dan Robinson reports, this is
the first major multilateral meeting Burma has
attended since the military government released
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest,
earlier this month:
Text: Foreign minister Ohn Gyaw was met by a
solid wall of television cameras and reporters, as he
arrived at Brunei airport Thursday.
However, he had very little to say. Asked about
Burma's plan to accede to the ASEAN treaty of amity
and cooperation, he would say only -- yes, I will --
before climbing into a waiting car.
Interest in Burma's presence has been heightened
considerably by the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, July
10th.
Despite the move by the Rangoon military
government, Burma has the same status as it did last
year -- guest of host country -- when it attended an
ASEAN meeting for the first time in Bangkok.
However -- in the days following the release of
Aung San Suu Kyi -- Ohn Gyaw told a Thai newspaper
Burma planned to take a significant step toward
eventual membership in ASEAN by acceding to the
organization's treaty of amity and cooperation.
Ohn Gyaw was to meet Brunei's foreign minister
Thursday or Friday to formally hand over the
instruments of accession to the treaty.
Southeast Asian governments welcomed the release
of Aung San Suu Kyi. They say their policy of
constructive engagement with Rangoon -- in contrast
to what they see as a counter-productive western
approach -- was ultimately the key factor in the
release.
Observers say the Suu Kyi release has given ASEAN
more credibility -- and leverage -- with its seven
dialogue partners, who will be in Brunei for
bilateral and regional security talks.
ASEAN dialogue partners include the United States,
Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea
and the European Union. On Burma, the United States
continues to urge political and human rights reforms
in Burma. A senior US official -- Winston Lord --
said recently Washington still wants a return to
civilian government in Burma. Still, he says
unilateral sanctions would be counterproductive,
without international support.
ASEAN officials see no reason why Burma should not
become an observer within the next two years. They
underscore the eventual goal of a greater community
of Southeast Asian nations. A summit in Bangkok this
year is expected to bring together for the first time
leaders of all ten Southeast Asian nations.
However, ASEAN officials make it clear Burma's
acceptance of the ASEAN treaty of amity and
cooperation does not mean it will immediately acquire
observer status, as Vietnam and Laos did two years
ago.
Analysts say there is still concern in ASEAN about
Burma's military expansion, undertaken with Chinese
aid. ASEAN will also be watching to see how Burma
handles relations with its closest neighbor --
Thailand. Tensions between them flared earlier this
year.
And -- although ASEAN members are gaining
investment and other economic advantages from their
engagement with the military government in Rangoon --
analysts say ASEAN would like to see more progress
toward greater openness in Burma. (signed)
NEB / WOD / WOD
27-Jul-95 4:10 AM EDT (0810 UTC)
Source: Voice of America
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