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EU warns ASEAN on dangers of Burma
Subject: EU warns ASEAN on dangers of Burma link.
EU warns ASEAN on dangers of Burma link
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The European Union has warned South-East Asian leaders that their
links with Burma's military regime could undermine the growing
relationship between Europe and Asia.
An EU Vice- President, Mr Manuel Marin, has cautioned the
seven-member Association of South-East Asia Nations not to move towards
admitting Burma as a member without requiring "profound change" in its
human rights record.
The Burma issue is set to overshadow this week's annual meeting
of ASEAN dialogue partners, including the EU, the United States and
Australia.
Burma will be admitted as an observer to the foreign ministers'
meeting on Saturday and officials are pressing ahead with plans for Burma
to become a full member within five years.
Burma is also set next week to join the 19-nation ASEAN Regional Forum.
The United States and Australia decided not to try to overturn an
earlier agreement on Burmese membership of the forum for fear of
provoking a confrontation with the Asians.
Mr Marin, who will travel to Jakarta next week with the EU
delegation, said ASEAN was free to admit whatever new members it wanted.
"But it is clear for us that Burma would be a problem. Unless there is a
profound change in the regime, it will inevitably create considerable
difficulties," he said in Brussels.
Leaders of the 15-nation EU held a submmit with their ASEAN
counterparts in Bangkok earlier this year and agreed to regular
consultations on economic, political and security issues. But relationas
have been strained by ASEAN's reluctance to take a tougher stand against
the Burmese military, which revently launched a fresh crackdown on
supporters of the democracy leader Aung San Suu kyi.
Ms Suu Kyi has written to ASEAN leaders appealing for them to
step up pressure on the Burmese regime.
The EU on Monday demanded a full explanation from Rangoon of the
death in custody last month of James Leander Nichols, 65, a close family
friend of Ms Suu Kyi who served as honorary consul for several
Scandinavian countries. The Norwegian Government said last week it had
evidence that Mr Nichols, a diabetic with a heart condition, died after
being tortured in prison.
The Burmese Government this week denounced Mr Nichols as "a
crook" who deserved to die, and has refused European calls for an
independent autopsy. A statement released yesterday in Jakarta said the
request had been rejected "not because it would compromise Burma's
sovereignty and independence.
[ Mark Baker, South-East Asia correspondent, Jakarta, 17 July 1996].
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