Bkk Post-Rights talks linked to Bur

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Subject: Bkk Post-Rights talks linked to Burma's participation

ASEAN - EU MEETING
Rights talks linked to Burma's participation
Bhanravee Tansubhapol
Germany will try to find a way for Burma to take part in an Asean-European
Union meeting in Berlin if it agrees to talk about human rights, Permanent
Secretary for Foreign Affairs Saroj Chavanaviraj said yesterday.
According to Mr Saroj, the Burmese side was coming round to the idea after
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan telephoned his Burmese counterpart Win Aung
last week.
But a ministry source believed the EU foreign ministers' decision on Monday
to uphold a visa ban against Burmese leaders could affect Rangoon's position
on the matter.
Britain and Denmark were reported to be among EU members against lifting the
ban on travel to EU member countries by Burmese government ministers,
members of the military junta, and their families that has been in effect
since 1996.
Mr Saroj described as discriminatory a suggestion attributed to British
Foreign Secretary Robin Cook that a deputy Burmese foreign minister might be
allowed to attend the ministerial meeting scheduled for March 30. Other
member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are to be
represented by full-fledged ministers but no invitations have yet been
issued, ministry sources noted.
Mr Saroj will raise the question of Burma's participation in this meeting as
well as in the Asean-EU Joint Cooperation Committee, which has not met since
Asean admitted Burma in July 1997, at talks opening in Berlin today.
Continuing through tomorrow, these talks are scheduled to prepare for the
second ministerial conference of the Asia-Europe Meeting, a forum made up of
10 Asian and 15 European countries that was launched in Bangkok in 1996.
Also on the agenda are the future course of the Asem process, including a
report of the Asia-Europe Vision group, the Asia-Europe Cooperation
Framework and draft work programme till the year 2000, and Asem membership,
said a ministry source.
Germany currently chairs the EU's rotating presidency, and Thailand is
coordinator for the Asean side in the Asean-EU forum, and for the Asian side
in the Asem framework.