Earlier Story:EU likely to tell ASE

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Subject: Earlier Story:EU likely to tell ASEAN not time to talk to Burma


Wednesday June 25 10:42 AM EDT 

EU likely to tell ASEAN not time to talk to Burma

BRUSSELS, June 25 (Reuter) - European Union foreign ministers are expected
to tell ASEAN
on Thursday that Burma's membership of the Asian trading bloc does not mean
the EU is ready to
let Rangoon into joint EU-Asian talks. 

EU sources said the ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, would discuss the
situation in Burma,
particularly concerning what is seen as a lack of improvement in respect for
human rights. 

ASEAN, the Association of South East Asian Nations, will formally embrace
Burma as a member
at its next ministerial meeting in Malaysia on July 24-25. 

But the EU ministers are expected to tell the group that this does not mean
the EU will allow
Burma to participate in ASEM, the main EU-Asia discussion forum, or to begin
talks on joining
other ASEAN members in a cooperation pact with the EU. 

The EU, reacting to accusations of human rights abuse by the Rangoon
military government, has
cut off high-level contacts with Burma and withdrawn various trading
privileges. 

The sources said some EU countries may raise the possibility of further
sanctions at Thursday's
meeting, but that a decision