ASEAN TO ADMIT BURMA IN JULY--BBC

[darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx]

According to the BBC World Service news bulletin of 8.00 hrs
GMT, 31 May 1997, (Announcer) "The Association of Southeast
Asian Nations, ASEAN, has decided to admit Burma as a member
in July, ignoring pressure from Western nations who wanted
Burma's admission delayed until its human rights record
improved. Cambodia and Laos will also be admitted. The
announcement was made after the foreign ministers of the
existing seven member countries met in the Malaysian capital,
Kuala Lumpur. From there Enver Solomon sent this report:"
 
"ASEAN has sent a clear message to the world that it believes
Burma's military leaders can be influenced by dialogue rather
than by isolating them. The United States recently imposed
economic sanctions on Burma, and the US Secretary of State
Madelaine Albright said last week that ASEAN shouldn't accept
Burma as a new member. But the ASEAN foreign ministers believe
that they shouldn't interfere in the domestic affairs of the
countries in the region. The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Mr
Abdullah Badawi, who chaired the meeting, said ASEAN would now
pursue a constructive dialogue with Burma's leaders, and he
said this had been a unanimous decision amongst All seven
members. But human rights groups say that allowing Burma to
join ASEAN would simply encourage the country's military
leaders to continue to suppress the opposition. Members of the
Malaysian non-governmental organisation who'd gathered outside
the meeting in Kuala Lumpur to lobby the foreign ministers
were immediately detained when they tried to voice these
concerns".
 
(Announcer) "The ruling military authorities in Burma have
welcomed the ASEAN decision. A senior official of the State
Law and Order Restoration Council in Rangoon said Burma had
always had confidence in the wisdom of ASEAN leaders".