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ASEAN opts to extend 'perfect 10' c



Subject: ASEAN opts to extend 'perfect 10' countdown

Asia Times News

ASEAN opts to extend 'perfect 10' countdown

Kusano Yasuo and agencies, Bangkok, 30th May 1997

ASEAN has told Cambodia it will not be admitted to the regional grouping until 
December, a Cambodian government spokesman said on Thursday. The decision also 
certainly means a similar delay in the admission of Burma and Laos. 

The secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations told the 
Cambodian Foreign Ministry of the decision in a recent letter, the spokesman 
Leng Sochea told Asia Times. 

ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday must decide 
whether to induct Burma, Cambodia and Laos at ASEAN's annual meeting in July 
or wait until a December informal summit. 

The group agreed last year the three countries would be admitted 
simultaneously to fulfill the founding fathers' vision of an ASEAN 10 linking 
all regional nations. Malaysia, this year's host of the group's meetings, has 
been pushing for a July admission. 

Leng Sochea, the Information Ministry deputy-general director, said Cambodia 
was not technically ready for admission. 

"Our government intended to convene the national assembly last month to ratify 
the treaty of membership of ASEAN but could not open the assembly because of 
domestic reasons," said Leng Sochea. "As far as Cambodia is concerned, it was 
technically difficult to be admitted at this time. We expect the ratification 
will be finalized at the end of the year." 

The comments were the latest indication that the foreign ministers would 
decide not to admit the three until the December summit. This would give the 
group an opportunity also to delay Burma 's controversial membership without 
appearing to buckle under strong United States and other Western pressure. 

"The latest will be at the summit," acting Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar 
Ibrahim said on Tuesday. "The process may take some time. We adhere to the 
principle of consensus." 

Cambodian First Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh on Thursday suggested 
ASEAN admit his country as a temporary member in July if it decided the time 
was not right for full membership. He said the December summit could make it a 
full member. 

Diplomats said Malaysia preferred the July time frame because it wanted the 
December summit - to which Japan, China and South Korea have also been invited 
- to focus on Asia-wide issues. But a feud between the leaders of Cambodia's 
coalition government has raised doubts about whether it could pass the 
necessary legislation by the July ministerial meeting. 

Separately, the US has asked ASEAN to delay  Burma 's entry because of its 
human rights record and the suppression of the democracy movement led by Daw 
Aung San Suu Kyi. 

ASEAN nations have objected to what they see as Washington's interference. But 
a senior official in Thailand's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday the 
combination of factors could result in a delay. 

ASEAN links Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand 
and Vietnam. 

Thai media has quoted Thai Foreign Ministry sources as saying Bangkok had 
proposed that the Kuala Lumpur meeting discuss admitting the three countries 
separately. There has been no official confirmation. 

Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), has repeated 
warnings that the country's military rulers could become "even more obdurate 
and oppressive" if they gained ASEAN membership. Suu Kyi, speaking in a recent 
video interview released on Thursday, said Burma under the junta's rule would 
be no credit to the regional group. 

The authorities this week thwarted plans for a mass NLD meeting at Suu Kyi's 
house to mark the anniversary of its 1990 landslide election win, which was 
not recognized by the junta. 

Security around her home was relaxed on Thursday but there was no word on the 
316 supporters whom the NLD said were arrested to prevent the congress taking 
place. The government denied the arrests.