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VOA: ASEAN warns Portugal not to li



/* Written  2:54 PM  Nov 30, 1996 by calliope@xxxxxxxxxx in gn:reg.easttimor */
/* ---------- "VOA: ASEAN warns Portugal not to li" ---------- */
Subject: VOA: ASEAN warns Portugal not to link ET/EU

VOA gopher


DATE=11/30/96

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-206865

TITLE=ASEAN SUMMIT (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=JOE LEAHY

DATELINE=JAKARTA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:



INTRO:  THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS SAY IT WILL
ADMIT CAMBODIA, LAOS AND BURMA TO THE ORGANIZATION
SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT REFUSES TO GIVE A TIMETABLE.  AS JOE LEAHY IN
JAKARTA REPORTS, THE MOVE IS SEEN AS A FACE-SAVING SOLUTION
FOLLOWING GROWING INTERNATIONAL CONCERN OVER RANGOON'S HUMAN
RIGHTS RECORD.

TEXT:  LEADERS OF THE SEVEN-NATION ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN
NATIONS HAVE DECIDED TO ADMIT BURMA, CAMBODIA AND LAOS AS ONE,
BUT WILL NOT SAY WHEN.

THEY MADE THE DECISION DURING THEIR FIRST INFORMAL SUMMIT IN
JAKARTA SATURDAY.  EARLIER, THEY WERE WIDELY EXPECTED TO DECIDE
ON A TIMETABLE FOR ADMITTING BURMA -- ALSO KNOWN AS MYANMAR --
WHICH HAS COME UNDER CRITICISM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.   BUT THE
ASEAN SPOKESMAN -- INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI ALATAS -- SAYS
THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE LATER.

                        // ALATAS ACT //

         THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT REAFFIRMED THEIR STRONG
         COMMITMENT TO THE SPEEDY REALIZATION OF AN ASEAN
         COMPROMISING ALL 10 SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES. THEY
         AGREED THAT CAMBODIA, LAOS AND MYANMAR BE ADMITTED AS
         ASEAN MEMBERS SIMULTANEOUSLY.  AS TO THE ACTUAL TIMING
         OF THE ADMISSION OF THE THREE COUNTRIES, THIS WILL BE
         ANNOUNCED IN DUE TIME.

                          // END ACT //

// OPT // BEFORE THE MEETING, THERE WERE REPORTS QUOTING
PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FIDEL RAMOS AND INCOMING THAI PRIME MINISTER
CHAOVALIT YONGCHAIYUT AS BEING CRITICAL OF BURMA.  MR. RAMOS
BACKED OFF FROM THE REPORTS SATURDAY. // END OPT //

BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT -- THE STATE LAW AND ORDER
RESTORATION COUNCIL -- HAS BEEN CRITICIZED INTERNaTIONALLY FOR A
CRACKDOWN ON NOBEL PREACE PRIZE LAUREATE AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND HER
"NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY" GROUP.

HOWEVER, (BURMESE) FOREIGN MINISTER OHN GYAW SAID SATURDAY HE WAS
NOT CONCERNED BY THE LACK OF A TIMETABLE.

                       // OHN GYAW ACT //

         WE DO NOT INSIST UPON WHAT TIME WE HAVE TO BE
         INTEGRATED.  FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, OUR STRENGTH HAS
         BEEN TO COMPLEMENT, TO CONTRIBUTE AND TO SHARE WHATEVER
         WE HAVE TO THE STABILITY OF THE REGION.

                          // END ACT //


// OPT // THE ASEAN LEADERS ALSO WARNED PORTUGAL NOT TO LINK EAST
TIMOR ISSUES TO ASEAN / EUORPEAN UNION RELATIONS.  INDONESIA
INVADED EAST TIMOR IN 1975, BUT PORTUGAL, THE FORMER COLONIAL
POWER, IS STILL RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AS THE
ADMINISTERING POWER. // END OPT //

ASEAN INCORPORATES VIETNAM, BRUNEI, THE PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA,
THAILAND, INDONESIA AND SINGAPORE. (SIGNED)

NEB/JL-FAX/RRM
30-Nov-96 10:02 AM EST (1502 UTC)

Source: Voice of America