ASEAN to Discuss Burma Membership

[waterly@xxxxxxxxx]

                       Copyright 1997 Associated Press  
                                 AP Worldstream

                  April  10, 1997; Thursday 03:31 Eastern Time


HEADLINE: ASEAN to discuss  Burma  membership

DATELINE: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

 BODY:
    Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will meet 
next month to discuss admitting  Burma,  Malaysia said Thursday.

   ASEAN has indicated it would make  Burma,  Cambodia and Laos members this
year, but critics want  Burma  kept out because of its military regime's
mistreatment of pro-democracy activists. 
   The meeting in May also will make preparations for the annual ASEAN
conference in September and celebrations of the group's 30th anniversary this
year, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

   The current ASEAN members Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines,
Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia have refused to

   solate  Burma,  instead pursuing closer business and political ties.

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

LOAD-DATE: April 10, 1997