Reuters-Myanmar minister sticks to

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Subject: Reuters-Myanmar minister sticks to his guns on rights

Myanmar minister sticks to his guns on rights
06:16 a.m. Feb 19, 1999 Eastern
BANGKOK, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung headed for
Thailand on Friday for the last leg of a regional tour, insisting he should
attend an EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting jeopardised by Yangon's rights
record.

Thai and EU officials have said a meeting of foreign ministers from the
European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Berlin next
month was unlikely to happen because of a dispute between the blocs over
Myanmar's participation.

A Thai government official said that with prospects for the meeting fading,
Win Aung's two-day visit to Thailand was likely to concentrate on bilateral
issues, including a dispute over fishing rights, narcotics trafficking and
illegal migration.

Win Aung's Thai visit is the last leg of a tour of ASEAN countries that has
taken him to Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore. He has meetings scheduled with
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.

The Thai official said neither the European Union nor ASEAN were willing to
back down on Myanmar. ``Time is running out and I think it's unlikely the
Berlin meeting is going to happen,'' he said.

Win Aung accused the European Union on Friday of reneging on a deal that
would have allowed Myanmar to attend.

He told Reuters in Singapore he had agreed to an EU proposal to talk about
rights and other thorny issues on the sidelines of the Berlin meeting if he
were allowed to participate.

``But nearer the day we have found many many conditions coming out of the
EU. First they said if you are willing to meet, there will not be a problem,
then they change their mind.''

The European Union bars entry to senior officials from Myanmar because of
its repression of political opposition.

An EU diplomat in Bangkok said he believed most EU states would accept
Myanmar's participation at a vice-ministerial level if it agreed to discuss
rights. But he said it would take a diplomatic miracle now to save the
meeting.

Win Aung said ASEAN, which accepted Myanmar as a member in 1996 despite
widespread protests, would not leave him out.


``The rest will not go without us, without me. Do you think they will go
there without me participating in that meeting? I don't think so.''

AN ASEAN diplomat suggested last week Win Aung might save the meeting
through a ``diplomatic illness,'' but said ASEAN members would not be
putting pressure on Yangon on the issue.

Human rights activists estimate 1,000 to 2,000 political prisoners are in
custody in Myanmar. Pro-democracy groups based in Thailand say some 270
political activists were sentenced last month to prison terms of seven to 52
years.

Thai officials said Win Aung's visit would help set up a visit by the head
of Myanmar's military government, Senior General Than Shwe, tentatively
scheduled from March 8 to 10.

Thai army chief General Surayuth Chulanont was due to return from Myanmar on
Friday after a three-day visit.