[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

G7 urges ASEAN to press for democra



Subject: G7 urges ASEAN to press for democracy in Burma

Saturday June 21 6:55 PM EDT 

G7 urges ASEAN to press for democracy in Burma

DENVER, June 21 (Reuter) - The world's leading industrial countries on
Saturday urged
southeast Asian nations which recently accepted Burma into the ASEAN
economic group to
pressure Rangoon's military rulers to restore democracy. 

A report by the Group of Seven foreign ministers, meeting here with Russia's
foreign minister, also
made a direct call to the military to start a ``meaningful, political
dialogue'' with the democratic
opposition. 

``Concerned by the continuing violations of human rights by the regime (in
Burma), we call on the
SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) to enter into a meaningful
political dialogue
with leaders of the democratic opposition and ethnic minorities aimed at
national reconciliation and
the restoration of democracy,'' the report said. 

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which groups Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, decided to admit Burma nex month. 

``We...hope that the members of ASEAN will use their influence to encourage
an early return to
democracy in Myanmar (Burma),'' the report said. 

The G7 also said the international community held the SLORC accountable for
the safey of
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent much of the last eight
years under house
arrest. 

Suu Kyi has strongly opposed Burma's entry into ASEAN, saying if it went
ahead it would give
the SLORC a license to repress the opposition movement and suppress human
rights