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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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