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EU-ASEAN summit derailed by Myanmar



Subject: EU-ASEAN summit derailed by Myanmar dispute 

EU-ASEAN summit derailed by Myanmar dispute 
Copyright © 1999 Nando Media
Copyright © 1999 Associated Press





By JIM GOMEZ 

MANILA, Philippines (March 14, 1999 12:34 p.m. EST

http://www.nandotimes.com) - A meeting between the European Union and
Southeast Asian nations this month has been thwarted by a dispute concerning
Myanmar, a Philippine official said Sunday. 

European nations have said they do not want Myanmar, also known as Burma, to
attend the meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations because
of the military government's poor human rights record. 

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan was negotiating with the EU in hopes of
reaching a compromise that would allow the foreign ministers' meeting to
proceed as planned in Berlin, Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon
said. 


Asked if the meeting will be held, Siazon said, "As of today, no, but still
talks are going on about the format." 

"What is being requested is to discriminate against an ASEAN member, which
is unthinkable," Siazon said after meeting with Myanmar Foreign Minister Win
Aung, who began a three-day visit to Manila Sunday. 

Myanmar's slow progress in human rights has been an embarrassment for ASEAN,
which admitted the country in 1997. Myanmar's membership has tarnished the
reputation of the nine-member group and interfered in ASEAN's relations with
other regions. 

Win Aung told reporters Sunday that ASEAN members should remain tightly
united. 

"If ASEAN is united, nobody could come and then make a wedge between us.
That is very important, we should stick together come what may," he said. 

Philippine officials said they plan to "express disappointment" to Win Aung
about human rights conditions in Myanmar. 

ASEAN also includes Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam. 



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