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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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