INDIAN NEWS (r)

[shar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

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      ASIAN IS BIGGER, BUT CAN'T STOP BEING NOSEY
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By Bill Arrant 

Kuala Lumpur,  June 8:  A newly enlarged Asian will find it
challenging  to  keep  to  its  fundamental  creed  of  not
interfering  in  the  internal  affairs  of  member states,
speakers  at an Asia-Pacific  conference this weekend said.

The association of South-East Asian nation-despite pressure
from  the  west to  deny  Burma membership  because  of its
human  record-will admit  Burma,  Laos and  Cambodia at the
grouping's  annual  meeting  in  Kala  Lumpier  next month.

Asian-currently grouping Malaysia,  Indonesia,  Brain,  the
Philippines,  Singapore,  Thailand and Vietnam-has insisted
its  policy of "constructive engagement" will nudge Burma's
military  rulers along the path  of reform.  Mr USAF Waned,
chairman  of  the  Supervisory  Board  of  Indonesia's  and
international  studies,  called for Asian to give Rangoon"a
rodmap"for political and economic reform.

"Despite  the principle of non-intervention in each other's
domestic affairs,  there is always an exception to be made,
and  on Myanmar(Burma)  it is right  to do  so," Mr Wanandi
said  at a seiner on Asian at the Asian- Pacific Roundtable
on  Sunday.  Asian can also give some advice to the feuding
faction  in Cambodia to  avoid violent confrontation there.

Relations   between  Cambodia's   co-premieres,   Neurotome
Ranariddh  and  Hun  Sen,   have been  strained  to  a near
breaking  point  in  the  run-up  to  next  year's  general
elections, paralysing the legislature. Mr Wanandi, a Sherpa
for  the Indonesian delegation at Asian's founding in 1967,
noted  that Asian  played a key  role in paving  the way to
ending Cambodia's long war.

Brain  delegated Timothy  Ong questioned  weather all Asian
members are prepared to see the group abandon its cherished
principle  of non-interference.  "strict  adherence to that
principle  made it possible for Brain to join in 1984.  And
strict adherence allowed Asian to withstand the excesses of
the Macros regime."

Mr  Wanandi said the  media and the  NOS in Asian countries
have  broken the  taboo of  non-criticism over  issues like
human  rights  record in  East  Timer and  Burma.  
                                               (Reuter)
                                               
                                                            
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