BBC : Japan welcomes south-east Asi

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

World: Asia-Pacific
Friday, July 17, 1998 Published at 12:30 GMT 13:30 UK 

Japan welcomes south-east Asian openness 

Japan says it welcomes a proposed policy change within the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations which would allow members to comment on the
domestic matters of their group partners. 

A Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Sadaaki Numata told the BBC that if
implemented, the proposal could lead to more democracy and a better human
rights situation in Burma. 

Thailand, which suggested the policy change earlier this week, has warned
that political instability in Burma could lead to unrest along their common
border. 

Burma has said that such comments could damage relations between south-east
Asian countries. 



>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service