ALBRIGHT/ASEAN ...VOA

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=7/23/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217584
TITLE=ALBRIGHT-ASEAN (L)
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=LOS ANGELES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT LEAVES THE UNITED STATES 
TODAY (THURSDAY 11AM EDT) TO FLY TO MALAYSIA TO ATTEND THIS 
WEEKEND'S MEETINGS WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN 
NATIONS.  V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM LOS 
ANGELES, THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL BE TELLING THE ASEAN 
MINISTERS TO USE THEIR ORGANIZATION'S INFLUENCE WITH BURMA AS 
WELL AS CAMBODIA.



TEXT:   THE UNITED STATES IS SUPPORTING ASEAN'S EFFORT TO MEDIATE
IN CAMBODIA'S POLITICAL CRISIS.  ASEAN HAS BLOCKED CAMBODIA'S 
MEMBERSHIP IN THIS SESSION BECAUSE OF THE RECENT FIGHTING HAS PUT
ALL POWER IN THE HANDS OF SECOND PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN.

THE MEDIATION EFFORT BY ASEAN IN CAMBODIA SHOWS AN EFFORT AT 
INTERVENTION THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS AVOIDED UNTIL NOW.  IN A 
SPEECH HERE IN LOS ANGELES, SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS 
ASEAN SHOULD SHOW SIMILAR INTEREST IN BURMA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS 
NOW THAT IT IS BECOMING A MEMBER OF ASEAN.

                       ///ALBRIGHT ACT///

         BY ADMITTING BURMA AS A MEMBER, ASEAN ASSUMES A GREATER 
         RESPONSIBILITY. FOR BURMA'S PROBLEMS NOW BECOMES ASEAN'S
         PROBLEMS. AND THE GOAL OF DEMOCRATIC CHANGE AND RESPECT 
         FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA BECOMES NOT ONLY A NATIONAL, 
         BUT A REGIONAL AND GLOBAL IMPERATIVE.

                          ///END ACT///

UNTIL BURMA STARTS MOVING TOWARD DEMOCRACY, THE SECRETARY OF 
STATE SAYS BURMA WILL BE INSIDE ASEAN BUT OUTSIDE THE SOUTHEAST 
ASIAN MAINSTREAM.  

THE SITUATION IN CAMBODIA WILL DOMINATE MS. ALBRIGHT'S TALKS IN 
MALAYSIA.  SHE PLANS TO MEET HER ENVOY STEPHEN SOLARZ ON SATURDAY
MORNING TO HEAR WHAT APPROACH THE OTHER NATIONS PLAN TO TAKE ON 
CAMBODIA.  SHE THEN WILL MEET THE MINISTERS FROM INDONESIA, THE 
PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND WHO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MEDIATE IN 
CAMBODIA.

HUN SEN'S DESIGNATED REPLACEMENT FIRST PRIME MINISTER UNG HUOT 
HAS SAID CAMBODIA WILL WELCOME ASEAN'S RENEWED EFFORT TO MEDIATE.
AMERICAN OFFICIALS ARE NOT SURE IF THAT STATEMENT IS JUST ANOTHER
ATTEMPT BY CAMBODIA TO WIN ASEAN'S APPROVAL.

SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT TOLD HER LOS ANGELES AUDIENCE SHE 
HOPESTO PUSH HUN SEN TO LIVE UP TO SOME OF HIS PROMISES.

                       ///ALBRIGHT ACT///

         HUN SEN INITIALLY REJECTED ASEAN'S HELP IN NEGOTIATING A
         SOLUTION TO THE CURRENT CRISIS. TODAY, THROUGH HIS 
         SPOKESMAN, HE APPEARS TO HAVE ACCEPTED ASEAN'S OFFER OF 
         MEDIATION. HE HAS ALSO PROMISED TO RESTORE THE COALITION
         GOVERNMENT AND OBSERVE THE RULE OF LAW. THE UNITED 
         STATES WILL USE ITS LEVERAGE AND DO ALL WE CAN IN 
         PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS TO SEE THAT HUN SEN'S WORDS ARE 
         TRANSLATED INTO CONCRETE ACTIONS. THIS WILL BE ONE OF 
         OUR PRIMARY GOALS AT THE MEETINGS THIS WEEKEND IN KUALA 
         LUMPUR.

                          ///END ACT///

THE SECRETARY OF STATE PLANS SEPARATE MEETINGS IN MALAYSIA WITH 
FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM CHINA AND JAPAN.    SECRETARY OF STATE 
ALBRIGHT VISITED VIETNAM LAST MONTH.  SHE TELLS HER LOS ANGELES 
AUDIENCE SHE FOUND A GOVERNMENT TORN BETWEEN ENCOURAGING 
DEVELOPMENT AND RELUCTANT TO GIVE MORE THAN LIP SERVICE TO 
POLITICAL OPENNESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS.  UNLIKE CAMBODIA AND BURMA, 
THE SECRETARYOF STATE SAYS SHE IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT VIETNAM. THE 
COUNTRY HAS A LONG WAY TO GO, SHE SAYS, BUT VIETNAM IS A NATION 
ON THE MOVE AND IT IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. (SIGNED)





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