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Asean calls for immediate ceasefire



Subject: Asean calls for immediate ceasefire in Cambodia

Hong Kong Standard
KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) on 
Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire among Cambodia's warring 
factions and for immediate steps to ensure the safety of foreign 
nationals. 

``Asean is dismayed by and deeply regrets the unfortunate turn of events 
in Cambodia, resulting in the loss of innocent lives, both of Cambodian 
citizens and of foreigners,'' the seven-member grouping said in a 
statement. ``Asean calls for an immediate ceasefire,'' it said. ``Asean 
also calls upon the Government of Cambodia to take immediate steps to 
ensure the safety of foreign nationals and provide protection to their 
properties in that country.'' 

It urged Cambodia's two warring prime ministers ``to abide by the terms 
of the (1991) Paris Peace accords'' which ended two-decades of civil 
war. Asean foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday 
in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the crisis. Malaysia is currently chairman of 
Asean, which also groups Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, 
Vietnam and Thailand. 

Cambodia, which was plunged into turmoil following two days of fighting 
in the capital Phnom Penh over the weekend, was to join Asean later this 
month along with Burma and Laos. It has been Asean's ambition since it 
was founded to have all 10 Southeast Asian countries within its fold. 
But the collapse of Cambodia's troubled coalition government has thrown 
considerable doubt on the plan. Second 

Second Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken control of Phnom Penh and its 
outskirts, while his ousted rival, First Prime Minister Prince Norodom 
Ranariddh, has vowed from France to organise resistance. 

Singapore's Straits Times newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday 
Cambodia's entry into Asean can wait. The pro-government 
English-language daily said the situation raises questions about who is 
really in charge of Cambodia and could speak for it when Asean meets on 
23 July to formalise entry of Cambodia, Burma and Laos into the group. 

The foreign ministers of Thailand and the Philippines said on Monday 
Asean may reconsider its decision to admit the three new members. 
Malaysia's acting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Asean foreign 
ministers at the meeting on Thursday would review the decision to admit 
Cambodia. 

``We're asking our Foreign Ministry to discuss with the other Asean 
foreign ministries the possibility of a change,'' he told reporters. 

Malaysia's opposition leader Lim Kit Siang also said induction of the 
three new members should be deferred. 

``The United Nations had sent more than 20,000 peacekeeping troops to 
Cambodia between 1991 and 1993 and spent more than US$2 billion to 
organise elections to create a legitimate and democratic society _ but 
all these efforts seem to have gone down the drain,'' he said in a 
statement on Tuesday. 

The political stalemate has prevented Cambodia's National Assembly from 
meeting for more than two months to enact laws paving the way for the 
country's entry into Asean, he said. 

But the Malaysian Business Times, which reflects government views, said 
in an editorial on Tuesday the Cambodian conundrum could best be solved 
if the country was within the Asean fold. 

``Asean can, and probably will, play a key role in bringing the feuding 
parties in Cambodia to a compromise without anymore gunfire and 
violence,'' the newspaper said. ``The vision of an Asean-10 must not be 
allowed to waver at this point in time.'' 

A Western diplomat said of the editorial: ``That argument can be made 
persuasively and not just by the Malaysians.'' 

The political quake in Cambodia exposed possible fault lines in Asean as 
well, analysts and diplomats said. 

Vietnam, which joined Asean in 1995, installed Mr Hun Sen as head of a 
communist government after invading Cambodia in 1978 to end the 
``killing fields'' regime of Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. 

Mr Hun Sen visited Vietnam last week before making his move against 
Prince Ranariddh but was on vacation and did not meet any Vietnamese 
leaders, a foreign ministry spokesman in Hanoi said. 

In the 1980s, Asean steadfastly supported an anti-Vietnamese coalition 
led by King Norodom Sihanouk that included his son Prince Ranariddh's 
royalist faction and the Khmer Rouge. Vietnam is worried anti-Vietnamese 
sentiment may re-emerge in the wake of Mr Hun Sen's takeover, analysts 
said._ Reuter 


"THERE WILL BE NO REAL DEMOCRACY IF WE CAN'T GURANTEE THE RIGHTS OF THE 
MINORITY ETHNIC PEOPLE.  ONLY UNDERSTANDING THEIR SUFFERING AND HELPING 
THEM TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS WILL ASSIST PREVENTING FROM THE 
DISINTEGRATION AND THE SESESSION."  "WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THEIR 
STRENGTH, WE CAN'T TOPPLE THE SLORC AND BURMA WILL NEVER BE IN PEACE."


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