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Dateline- Asean, EU meeting put off



Subject: Re: Dateline- Asean, EU meeting put off indefinitely


There have been a few postings which are backdated by a couple of months 
at least although the news seem to be current. It can be very misleading 
sometimes as to when certain events occured.

S Cabaret



>Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 18:51:54 -0700
>From: suriya <suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Asean, EU meeting put off indefinitely
>To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>Headlines 
>Asean, EU meeting put off indefinitely 
>
>THE Asean-European Union Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Germany will be
>postponed indefinitely as the European countries refuse to budge on 
Burma, a
>high-ranking Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday. 
>
>The Asean countries are equally adamant in their position that Burma, 
as
>one of
>its members, should be able to take part in the AEMM in Berlin next 
month
>as it
>is a block-to-block meeting, permanent secretary Saroj Chavanaviraj 
insisted. 
>
>''Under the present circumstances, it is fair to say that the AEMM, 
which
>is to
>be held right after the Asian-European Meeting on March 30, will be 
postponed
>indefinitely as there is no settlement between the Asean states and the 
EU
>members on Burma's presence,'' Saroj said. 
>
>Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan is presently on a European trip from 
which a
>breakthrough on the matter is expected, he added. 
>
>Saroj's comment came after the United Kingdom, an EU member, said it 
will
>refuse to sit down with Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung at the AEMM. 
>As unanimity is required for Burma to attend, opposition by even one 
country
>could force the meeting to be cancelled. Another major obstacle barring
>Rangoon
>from the meeting is the EU's visa ban on top Burmese officials. 
>Burma has been at the heart of the controversy between the both 
groupings
>which
>meet every one-and-a-half-year to discuss inter-regional cooperation. 
The
>country, which was admitted into Asean in 1997, has been strongly 
condemned by
>the Europeans for its poor record on human rights and its dictatorship. 
>
>''Burma has shown a positive approach by agreeing to discuss any topic 
raised
>by the EU at the AEMM, ranging from human rights to democracy. Burma is 
also
>ready to talk to the EU troika,'' Saroj said. 
>
>In a recent letter to Foreign Minister Surin, his Burmese counterpart 
Win Aung
>said he would welcome any topic for discussion and would brief the EU
>countries

>on political and economic developments in Burma. 
>
>Germany, this year's EU president, has tried hard to convince other EU 
members
>to relax their stance on Burma, including those who have imposed a visa 
ban on
>senior Burmese government officials. 
>
>It has hinted earlier that Burma might be admitted if the human rights
>situation there was discussed. However, the UK's refusal to sit with 
Rangoon
>
>closed the door on Berlin's attempt. 
>
>BY MARISA CHIMPRABHA 
>The Nation
>


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