ASEAN foresees problems with EU ove (r)

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Subject: ASEAN foresees problems with EU over Burma


Friday July 25 3:54 AM EDT 

ASEAN foresees problems with EU over Burma

By Ian MacKenzie 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Reuter) - ASEAN Secretary-General Ajit Singh said on
Friday
some problems had to be worked out with the European Union and the United
States after
Burma's admission to the nine-nation group. 

``There are some technicalities we need to look at,'' Singh told a news
conference, referring
specifically to a cooperation agreement between the EU and the Association
of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN). 

``The European Union has made it known it would not be ready yet to see
Myanmar (Burma)
accede to that... It is an issue we will need to address in the near
future,'' he said. 

Asked if there were any other countries in a similar situation, Singh
specifically mentioned the
United States and Canada. 

``I think the U.S. and Canada also have some problem about Myanmar, and
that, too, we will
have to start discussing with them,'' he said. 

He said the problem with the United States included the issuing of visas for
visiting Burmese
officials. He did not specify Canada's problem. 

Western nations have criticised Burma's admission because of its record on
human rights and
democracy. 

ASEAN and 11 other Western and Asian nations -- including European states
represented as a
group by the European Union -- meet on Sunday under the umbrella of the
ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF) security grouping. 

This will be followed on Monday by meetings between ASEAN members and their
seven
so-called dialogue partners, who are also members of the ARF. 

ASEAN includes Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, the
Philippines, Vietnam,
Burma and Laos. 

The British High Commissioner to Malaysia, David Moss, did not attend a
flag-raising ceremony
marking the induction of Burma and Laos on Tuesday, although a British
diplomat did attend, as
did the U.S. ambassador in Kuala Lumpur. 

Asked about the British boycott, Singh said: ``If the British ambassador
chose to stay away from
the reception, that if his prerogative, but I don't think that will affect
EU-ASEAN relations.'' 

The EU and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, whose country had
imposed economic
sanctions on Burma, are expected to press other ASEAN states to use their
influence on the
military