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ASEAN ministers to discuss prepare



Subject: ASEAN  ministers to discuss preparedness of applica

23 May 1997 
The Nation 

Asean ministers to discuss preparedness of applica

RITA PATIYASEVI 

TOKYO ­ Asean foreign ministers will next week assess the readiness of Laos, 
Cambodia and Burma to join the regional grouping, along with the proposal that 
they need not all be admitted at the same time, Foreign Minister Prachuab 
Chaiyasan said yesterday. 

Prachuab said he had told Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Badawi during 
their meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday night that the three countries need not be 
admitted simultaneously, in the case any of the three do not feel ready to 
join. 

''If any of the countries say they are not ready to join yet, we should keep 
our door open for them to enter at a later stage," Prachuab said. 

Badawai had not made any comment on the proposal, but said Malaysia believed 
the admission of the three countries, especially Burma, was the right 
decision, Prachuab said. 

Prachuab's proposal for staggered entry is a departure from the Asean leaders' 
decision in December that Cambodia, Laos and Burma be admitted at the same 
time. 

Thailand suggested a fallback position, as the United States, a key political, 
economic and security dialogue partner of Asean, has strongly opposed Burma's 
membership into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 

President Bill Clinton increased US pressure on Burma on Tuesday by signing an 
executive order putting into effect economic sanctions against the country. 
Prachuab is likely to put his proposal up for discussion when Asean foreign 
ministers meet in Kuala Lumpur on May 30 and 31. 

The meeting, which was initially due to work out and announce the timing of 
the admission of the three countries, will instead discuss details of each 
country's preparations for Asean membership, including progress towards 
joining the Asean Free Trade Area. 

Prachuab said he and Badawi, who is on a tour of the region, had reaffirmed 
Asean solidarity and its position that decisions would not be swayed by 
outside influence, particularly the question of the admission of Burma. 

They also reaffirmed their commitment to Asean's policy of ''constructive 
engagement" with Burma. 

''We reaffirmed our constructive engagement policy and agreed not to isolate 
Burma," Prachuab said. ''If we isolate Burma, nobody can guarantee it will 
definitely bring change. We think it is better to bring Burma into the Asean 
family." 

The foreign minister said Badawi, who has just visited China, told him Beijing 
supported Asean's decision to admit Burma. 

According to the Malaysian minister, Chinese President Jiang Zemin may attend 
the informal Asean summit in December. 

Asean members want China, Japan and South Korea to attend the summit meeting, 
which is expected to be attended by all 10 Southeast Asian heads of 
government, including those from Burma, Cambodia and Laos.