[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
ASEAN'S FUTURE ROLE
DATE=6/1/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-36539
TITLE=ASEAN'S FUTURE ROLE
BYLINE=CHRIS SIMKINS
DATELINE=KUALA LUMPUR
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN
NATIONS MEETING IN KUALA LUMPUR HAVE AGREED TO GRANT EARLY
ADMISSION TO ITS FINAL THREE MEMBERS: BURMA, CAMBODIA AND LAOS.
V-O-A'S CHRIS SIMKINS REPORTS FROM THE MALAYSIAN CAPITAL ON THE
PROSPECTS THE REGIONAL BODY HAS IN BRINGING ABOUT POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC CHANGES TO THREE NEW MEMBER COUNTRIES.
TEXT: THIRTY YEARS AGO, SEAN WAS FORMED, WITH THE IDEA IT WOULD
EVENTUALLY ENCOMPASS TEN NATIONS. SATURDAY, ASEAN VOTED TO
ACCEPT BURMA, CAMBODIA AND LAOS FOR MEMBERSHIP IN JULY.
ASEAN MEMBERS -- MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, INDONESIA,THAILAND,
VIETNAM, BRUNEI AND THE PHILIPPINES -- HAD SAID THEY WOULD GRANT
ADMISSION TO THE THREE A YEAR AGO. BUT STRONG OPPOSITION FROM
WESTERN GOVERNMENTS OVER BURMA'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD AND
CAMBODIA'S POLITICAL INSTABILITY DELAYED THEIR ENTRY. THE
FOREIGN MINISTERS NOW SAY THEY CANNOT SEE HOW ANY FURTHER
DELAYING THE ADMISSIONS COULD IMPROVE THE SITUATION IN BURMA,
CAMBODIA, OR LAOS.
NOW ASEAN LEADERS HAVE THE TASK OF TRYING TO HELP VITALIZE THE
ECONOMIES OF THE THREE, WHICH HAVE LAGGED FAR BEHIND THE OTHER
SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES. ASEAN LEADERS PREDICT, WITHIN 10
YEARS, BURMA, CAMBODIA, AND LAOS WILL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
BECOMING A PART OF ASEAN'S FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT. THE COUNTRIES
THAT NOW MAKE UP ASEAN HAVE A COMBINED GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF
600 BILLION DOLLARS.
BUT THE DIFFICULT TASK FACING ASEAN IN THE FUTURE IS DEALING WITH
ITS DIALOGUE PARTNERS -- WESTERN GOVERNMENTS WHO WANT THE
ORGANIZATION TO ADDRESS IMPROVING POLITICAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS
CONDITIONS IN BURMA CAMBODIA AND LAOS.
ASEAN CHAIRMAN AND MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH BADAWI
SAYS IT IS NOT UP TO ASEAN TO INTERFERE IN THE DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
OF MEMBER NATIONS. STILL, HE SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE CHANGES --
ESPECIALLY IN BURMA AND CAMBODIA.
/// BADAWI ACTUALITY ///
THAT IS NOT FOR US (ASEAN) HOW TO IMPROVE THE POLITICAL
SITUATION THAT IS FOR THE RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS AND
WHEN I VISIT THE VARIOUS CAPITALS, I WILL HAVE A CHANCE
TO SEE FOR MYSELF WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE. WE ALWAYS
WANT TO SEE PEACE AND STABILITY ANYWHERE -- ESPECIALLY
IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. I HAVE VISITED CAMBODIA
BEFORE AND HAVE MET THE TWO LEADERS AND EXPRESSED MY
CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG
ABOUT ME DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
MR. BADAWI SAYS THE FUTURE OF ALL SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IS
BRIGHT. HE SAYS -- NOW ASEAN IS A UNITED GROUP OF 10 COUNTRIES
-- THE REGIONAL BODY WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO CONTRIBUTE
TO REGIONAL PEACE AND STABILITY THROUGHOUT THE EAST ASIAN REGION.
(SIGNED)
NEB / CS / TM / WD