BURMA'S ASEAN ENTRY BID LIKELY TO B

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Subject: BURMA'S ASEAN ENTRY BID LIKELY TO BE POSTPONED

BURMA'S ASEAN ENTRY BID LIKELY TO BE POSTPONED
29.5.97/THE NATION
REUTER

KUALA LUMPUR - Burma's bid for early admission into the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) appeared doomed by
concern over its human rights record and strife in Cambodia,
officials said yesterday.

Foreign ministers of the Asean nations - Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - will
meet in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to decide when to admit its
final three members.  

Asean said last year it would admit all three together.
 
Malaysia, this year's Asean chairman, has been pressing for
Burma, Laos and Cambodia to be inducted at Asean's annual
ministerial meeting on July 24 and 26 in Kuala Lumpur.

Alternatively, the three could be admitted at an informal Asean
summit in December, also in Malaysia.

"I've been told the ambassadors of the three [Burma, Laos and
Cambodia] have been asked to stand by for the press conference
after Saturday's meeting," a Western diplomat said

Malaysians acting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told reporters on
Thursday that the admission of the three counties would take
place
by the end of the year.
     
"Our decision has been rather consistent, that the admission
should be the latest by the summit. Meaning, therefore, that the
process can take some time, particularly because we have always
adhered to the principle of consensus," Anwar sait.
     
Diplomats said Malaysia preferred the July timeframe because it
wants the December summit - to which Japan, China ant South Korea
have also been invited - to focus on Asia-wide issues.

A senior Cambodian official said on Tuesday that the admission of
the three would have to be delayed because of Cambodia's
political problems. 
     
A tense feud between the leaders of Cambodia's coalition
government has raised doubts about whether Phnom Penh could pass
the necessary legislation by the July ministerial meeting.
     
Political analysts said the country's instability hat also
triggered concern over Cambodia's readiness to join.

Separately, the United States has asked Asean to delay Burma's
entry because of its human rights record and the suppression of
the democracy movement let by Aung San Suu Kyi.

A senior official in Thailand's foreign ministry said on
Wednesday the combination of factors could result in a delay.
     
"They may delay the decision and most likely they would decide on
the issue by the end of the year when the heads of government of
Asean members meet," said the official, who declined to be named.

"By now, Kuala Lumpur seems to realise the current situation is
not appropriate to push too hard because of the internal ant
external factors," he said

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamat, who is believed to be
keen on early admission, could have wed his prestige in the
region to twist some arms over the issue, diplomats said.
     
But he is in London on a two-month leave.

An influential Malaysian Muslim group on Thursday urged that
Burma's admission be deferred over its alleged harassment of the
country's Muslim minority.
     
The Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia, in a letter to Anwar ant
the foreign ministry, said 30 mosques have been destroyed since
mid-March and held Burma's military rulers responsible.

Clashes between Buddhists and Muslims broke out in March in
Burma's second city, Mandalay. Witnesses said mosques were
ransacked and monks staged street protests. The unrest spread to
other cities including the capital of Rangoon.

Asean members Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia have Muslim
majorities.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said Asean would admit its
new members this year, but did not say exactly when.

"Our hope is we will reach a consensus t hat those three nations
can become full members this year,"Alatas said on Wednesday after
meeting President Suharto.