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ARF may find Myanmar issue sticky
The Hindu: 27/07/97
By V. Jayanth
With the Western partners of the ASEAN Regional forum determined to force
a debate on the ticklish issues of Myanmar and Cambodia, the meeting of
the forum, slated for tomorrow, is likely to be a stormy one.
 
On Cambodia, there is at least a common desire to ensure the return of
peace and democracy in the troubled kingdom. There is consensus that ASEAN
must play a mediatory role in bringing about reconciliation between the
estranged coalition partners- the Funcinpec and the Cambodian People's
Party. Cambodia today figured prominently in all bilateral discussions
involving the US, China, Russian, Japan, Australia and the ASEAN
countries.
 
The Myanmar problem may, however, elude consensus. While the US appears to
be veering round to the view that ASEAN, having accepted the country into
its fold, must now assume the responsibility of restoring democracy and
initiating a dialogue between the junta and the pro-democracy movement,
the EU is more adamant. Led by the vice-president of the European
Commission, Mr Manuel Marin, the EU will be represented by Luxembourg, the
British High Commissioner here was to stay away from the ceremony to mark
the admission of Myanmar and Laos into the ASEAN.
 
Even during the biennial ASEAN-EU meeting held in February in Singapore,
the European Foreign ministers took a firm view on Myanmar, releasing that
its entry into the ASEAN was imminent. Now, they have to share the table
with the members of the junta at both the ARF meeting and the
post-ministerial conference between the ASEAN and EU on Monday.
 
AS the ASEAN Secretary-General, Mr Ajit Singh, remarked yesterday, Myanmar
was an obstacle to a new generation EU-ASEAN agreement on co-operation.
Since this had to be singed with the individual countries, the EU made it
clear that Myanmar could not be part of the agreement as long as the
generals were in power.
 
In Singapore, ASEAN and the hosts made a passing reference to the Myanmar
issue. A similar approach was adopted at the ASEAN meeting in Jakarta. EU
sources indicated that this time around they would press for a formal
discussion on steps to help restore democracy in Myanmar. The Foreign
Minister from Yangon, Ohn Gyaw, can be excepted to present the junta's
viewpoint.
 
Ms Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State, who arrives here last night,
said in reference to the challengers faced by ASEAN ,"It is our hope that
they (ASEAN) will use their influence with the SLORC to get them to have a
dialogue with the National League for Democracy and Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.
One needs to respect ASEAN's method of operating. They have a very
collegial approach and operate by consensus. Their method should, in fact
be used in a way that deals with different forms of Government in
appropriate ways," Ms Albright noted in a statement.
 
ASEAN sources said the Korean problem was also expected to figured in the
deliberations, in view of the proposed four-party talks next month. The
second congress of ASEAN, organised by the Institute of  Strategic and
International Studies (ISIS), suggested that ASEAN invite North Korea for
the ARF meet in view of its importance to regional security and stability.
 
If the US and its allies gunned for Myanmar at these meetings , ASEAN will
most definitely rake up the progress made in peace talks and agreements,
both in West Asia and in the former Yugoslavia. The ASEAN Foreign
Ministers yesterday called for the implementation of the Dayton peace
agreement and said indicted world criminals must be brought to the justice
through the international tribunal.
 
In a reference to the West Asian Peace process, they demanded that "Israel
should take steps for the immediate cessation of the construction of a new
settlement at Jabel Abu Ghneim and of  all other Israeli settlement
activities, as well as of illegal measures and actions in Jerusalem." 
 
Sources indicated that UN reforms could also figures in the discussion.
ASEAN has stated that addition to the security council must have
representation from the developing regions of Asia, Africa and Latin
America. Now that the US has endorsed the suggestion that three more
permanent seats can be given to developing countries, India's chances of
securing a berth may have considerably increased.
 
The ARF meeting will be attended by the nine ASEAN countries their ten
dialogue partners and Cambodia and Papua New Guinea as observers. The nine
ASEAN countries are : Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The dialogue partners are
Australia, Canada, China, The EU, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea,
Russia and the US besides the UNDP. On Monday, after the joint
post-ministerial conference, ASEAN will have individual discussion with
its dialogue partners.