IHT AntiSanctions Bizheads

[cd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Does anyone have a list of the companies in the US Asean Council, their
address, and can you get a list of the bizheads that went to SE Asia.
Would you please post it, and send it to us here at Euro-Burmanet,
paris, metta, dawn star

>From Paris, IHT Finance news: Big Business Coalition Fights Sanctions
Drive

International Herald Tribune: : "U.S. Executives Back 'Engagement'
Policy on Burma"
Finance Section  (compiled by IHT staff from dispatches)
Tuesday, March 11 1997
 (iht@xxxxxxx), sent by Euro-Burmanet (Paris)

Singapore -- Top US businessmen said Monday they would oppose economic
sanctions against Burma, adding that the Southeast Asian policy of
'constructive engagement' was the right way to push the military-ruled
country toward democracy. 

George David, the chief executive of United Technologies Corp., said the
Americans and their South-east Asian counterparts agreed after a one-day
meeting that unilateral sanctions on Burma would be wrong. Mr David is
chairman of the US/Asean Business Council, which brought about 50 top
American executives to Singapore.

Most of the Americans said the idea of sanctions should be abandoned in
favor of pressing Burma toward democracy from the inside. 

" We feel that the policy of engagement is a better way to produce
change, " Mr. David said. " We're better off having engagement,
participation and investments. "

President Bill Clinton signed legislation last year barring US companies
from doing business in Burma if the human rights situation there should
worsen. Legislators in the US Congress also are considering seeking
unilateral trade sanctions against Indonesia in response to allegations
of human rights abuses in East Timor.

Either measure could cripple US business efforts in the region,
executives traveling on this week's mission said. They said they planned
to talk with government and business leaders about averting sanctions.

" There really isn't sufficient understanding on the administration's
part of the impact these sanctions have on business, "said Michael
Gadbaw, vp and senior counsel at General Electric Co. But when asked
whether profit was the only motive, Mr. David said: " I would certainly
reject that. We believe the way you induce changes is by participation
and by engagement, not by punishment or sanctions. "

Lloyd Bentsen, former US Treasury secretary, endorsed that view, saying,
" I think a constructive engagement is much more important for the US.
We shouldn't lose what little influence we do have by pulling out. "

Mr. David said he expected Burma, along with Laos and Camboida, to join
Asean, the Association of South East Asian Nations, this year.  Asean
groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam. The organization has agreed that Burma should join at the
same time as Laos and Cambodia, resisting Western pressure to keep
Rangoon at arm's length. "