earlier story: ASEAN/BURMA VOA

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=7/26/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217693
TITLE=ASEAN / BURMA (L)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=KUALA LUMPUR
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

 /// NOTE TO EDS:  THIS IS AN EXPANDED VERSION OF AUSTRALIA-BURMA
(S), WITH A CHANGED SLUG ///

INTRO:  BURMA IS NOW A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST 
ASIAN NATIONS, OR ASEAN.  WITH ATTENTION FOCUSSED ON CAMBODIA'S 
POLITICAL CRISIS, THE NORMALLY CONTENTIOUS ISSUE OF BURMA'S 
MEMBERSHIP WENT ALMOST UNNOTICED.  BUT THE ASEAN FOREIGN 
MINISTERS' MEETING IS OVER. THE ASEAN NATIONS ARE NOW PREPARING 
FOR THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM, IN WHICH SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS 
TALK WITH NON-ASIAN NATIONS ON SECURITY ISSUES.  AS VOA 
CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM KUALA LUMPUR, BURMA HAS 
NOT ESCAPED SCRUTINY.

TEXT: ON THE EVE OF THE OPENING OF THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM, 
AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER MADE IT CLEAR THAT 
BURMA IS STILL VERY MUCH AN ISSUE, AT LEAST AS FAR AS AUSTRALIA 
AND WESTERN NATIONS ARE CONCERNED.

MR. DOWNER SAYS REFORM IN BURMA IS MOVING, AS HE PUT IT, AT A 
SNAIL'S PACE.  HE SAYS BURMA MUST BE ENCOURAGED TO ENACT 
POLITICAL REFORMS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT IT IS A FULL-FLEDGED 
MEMBER OF ASEAN.

                        // DOWNER ACT //

         I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AT THE ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM
         THAT PRESSURE IS MAINTAINED ON BURMA, AS WAS THE CASE 
         LAST YEAR.  BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD 12 MONTHS AND WE 
         HAVEN'T SEEN TOO MUCH PROGRESS SINCE THE LAST A-R-F 
         MEETING.

                          // END ACT //

MR. DOWNER HAD A BILATERAL MEETING WITH HIS BURMESE COUNTERPART 
OHN GYAW.  HE PRONOUNCED THE RESULTS "DIAPPOINTING," SAYING THAT 
THE BURMESE MINISTER TOLD HIM CONSTITUIONAL REFORM WILL COME ONLY
BY BURMA'S SCHEDULE.

                        // DOWNER ACT //

         AS I SAID TO YOU, IT'S MOVING FORWARD VERY SLOWLY, IT'S 
         MOVING FORWARD VERY SLOWLY.  I MEAN THE BURMESE FOREIGN 
         MINISTER HAS GIVEN ME A COMMITMENT THAT, YES, THEY ARE 
         HEADING TOWARDS CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM, THEY'VE GOT TO DO
         IT IN THEIR OWN WAY, IN THEIR OWN TIME, AND THERE'S A 
         BURMESE WAY OF DOING THINGS, AND SO ON. BUT I THINK IT'S
         IMPORTANT THAT ASEAN AND AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND AND 
         OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION AND BEYOND THE REGION DO 
         WHAT WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE THIS PROCESS OF REFORM, WHICH I
         HAVE TO SAY TO YOU IS MOVING TOO SLOWLY.

                          // END ACT //

MR. DOWNER ALSO QUOTES OHN GYAW AS SAYING THERE ARE NO POLITICAL 
DETAINEES IN BURMA.  HE ADDS THAT OHN GYAW TOLD HIM THE RECENT 
MEETING BETWEEN THE RULING STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION 
COUNCIL AND THE  OPPOSITION NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY WAS NOT
THE START OF A DIALOGUE.

                      // OPT DOWNER ACT //

         I HAVE TO SAY IN ALL HONESTY THAT I AM CONCERNED THAT 
         THE MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE LAST WEEK BETWEEN THE 
         NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY AND THE SLORC WAS, 
         ACCORDING TO THE FOREIGN MINISTER, NOT A MEETING THAT 
         SHOULD BE SEEN AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS A RESUMPTION OF 
         DIALOGUE BETWEEN SLORC AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR 
         DEMOCRACY.  I THINK THAT IS DISAPPOINTING AND AS I SAID,
         I REITERATED OUR VIEW THAT WE THOUGHT THAT SUCH A 
         DIALOGUE SHOULD PROCEED.

                        // END OPT ACT //

ASEAN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY SAY BURMA'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE 
NINE-NATION REGIONAL ORGANIZATION MAY COMPLICATE THINGS, 
ESPECIALLY IN RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES AND THE EUROPEAN 
UNION.  THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT TALK TO BURMESE OFFICIALS IN 
ANY FORUM, WHILE THE EUROPEAN UNION IS BALKING AT BURMA'S 
ACCESSION TO A COOPERATION PACT BETWEEN ASEAN AND THE E-U.

MR. DOWNER SAYS AUSTRALIA WILL SEND A SPECIAL ENVOY WILL BE SENT 
TO BURMA WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO ENCOURAGE THE SPEEDING UP 
OF POLITICAL REFORM. (SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/KL