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ASEAN ministers to discuss prepare
- Subject: ASEAN ministers to discuss prepare
- From: ausgeo@xxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 23:11:00
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.