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"Burma in debate."
BURMA SECURITY DEBATE HEATS UP
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Debate between Western and South-East Asian nations over the future of
Burma's involvement in regional affairs is set to heat up with calls
from Thailand for the Rangoon regime to gain a seat at a key venue.
Burma's inclusion within the security dialogue group, the ASEAN
Regional Forum should be "unconditional" as Rangoon moves to membership
of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, Thai Foreign Minister,
Mr Kasem Kasemsri, said.
Mr Kasem's comments are set to deepen divisions within the ARF between
the ASEAN member states and dialogue partners, largely from the West,
over Burma's human rights and democratic policies.
ARF was formed in 1994 and is aimed at providing a venue for discussion
of security issues and is held in conjunction with annual ASEAN foreign
ministerial meetings.
In comments reported by the Bangkok Post newspaper, Mr Kasem said "some
might object, but we in ASEAN think that it's necessary that all our
members and all those eligible to become members are in the ARF,
unconditionally".
"Who participates in the ARF is a matter for ASEAN to decide," he said.
Western States, especially the United States, the European Union and
Australia have cautioned ASEAN over including Burma as a full member
within the regional association of nations.
Mr Kasem, who was speaking to reporters prior to a three-day official
visit to The Philippines, said the moves would reflect Burma's steps
towards ASEAN membership.
"The ARF addresses only those issues relevant to us, East Asia and
Asia-Pacific, and no other areas," Mr kasem said. "If we can play that
role, an important role, it will not only benefit ourselves but also
contribute to the world community as a whole," he said.
A Thai foreign ministry spokesman told The Australian he was unable to
immediately corroborate the comments of Mr Kasem.
"Our position so far, is that ASEAN would welcome Burma as it has been
with Vietnam and Laos," the spokesman said.
ASEAN member States include Thailand, malaysia, The Philippine,
Singapore, Indoesia, Brunei and more recently, Vietnam.
ARF includes the ASEAN "dialogue" partners - the US, Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.
ASEAN members at the summit in December in Bangkok agreed to press for
inclusion of Cambodia, Laos and Burma within the ASEAN fold by the year
2000.
Burma - vilified by the West for its human rights record - has attended
the recent ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings as "guest of the host" in
order to overcome the diplomatic sensitivities.
[By RON CORBEN in Bangkok, 04.05.96].
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