SOEHARTO IN RANGOON

[burma@xxxxxxxxxx]

The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, February 24, 1997

SOEHARTO IN RANGOON

Asean boost for Burma 

By Mark Baker
Herald Correspondent in Bangkok

An extraordinary meeting between Indonesia?s President Soeharto and the
reclusive former Burmese dictator, General Ne Win, has cleared the way
for Burma to become a full member of the Association of South-East Asian
Nations (ASEAN).

Mr Soeharto has spurned international protests over human rights abuses
by the Burmese military regime and declared that he wants Burma admitted
to ASEAN, without conditions, as soon as possible.

For an hour on Saturday, the veteran Indonesian leader held talks in
Rangoon with General Ne Win, who has received no foreign dignitaries
since his ostensible retirement from political life in 1988.

The meeting stunned political observers as General Ne Win is never seen
in public and rarely mentioned in Burma?s official media. The high-level
talks reinforced long-standing speculation that he remains a powerful
figure behind the scenes.

The 85-year-old general, who seized power in a 1962 coup and led Burma
down in a 1962 coup and led Burma down a path of socialist isolationism,
lives in a heavily guarded villa on the shores of Rangoon?s Inya Lake,
opposite the home of the democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.

General Ne Win announced his retirement in 1988 during the political
turmoil which led to a military crackdown against pro-democracy protests
in which more than 3,000 people were killed.

The meeting between the two men, who were leading members of the
Non-Aligned Movement before General Ne Win pulled Burma out of the
official agenda for Mr Soeharto?s two-day visit to Rangoon.

?It?s purely personal,? the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Alatas,
said. ?Obviously these two leaders go way back.?

But the meeting underscored the stand by Mr Soeharto, the most
influential leader in ASEAN, in support of Burma?s early admission to
the regional grouping.

Analysts expect Burma, along with Cambodia and Laos, to be admitted to
full ASEAN membership as early as July when foreign ministers of the
region hold their annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

Mr Alatas said that while no date has been fixed, Indonesia hoped all
three countries could join ?as soon as possible?.

?I would like to reaffirm ASEAN?s stance that we have never and will not
make as a precondition or a criterion for membership the internal
situation of a country,? he said.

Indonesia and other ASEAN members would never accept conditions that
were ?tantamount to asking for changes or interfering in the political
or economic system? of prospective members, he said.

The comments are a direct rebuff to calls by Western governments for
ASEAN to pressure Burma to improve its human rights record and undertake
political reform.

These calls were reiterated by foreign ministers of the European Union
during talks with their ASEAN counterparts in Singapore 10 days ago.

But with both Indonesia and Malaysia now pressing strongly for Burma?s
unconditional entry to ASEAN, it is clear that regional government? with
the Burmese military regime.

Trade and investment links between Burma and ASEAN are growing rapidly.
About $200 million worth of new Indonesian investments have been
approved since late last year, and several new agreements, including a
joint venture for a new domestic Burmese air service, were signed during
the Soeharto visit.