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The BurmaNet News: December 17, 199



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------     
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"     
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The BurmaNet News: December 17, 1997        
Issue #893

HEADLINES:        
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THE NATION: A MILESTONE _ NOW FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS
THE NATION: MINISTER URGES CLOSER TIES
BKK POST: SUU KYI URGES LEADERS TO SUPPORT CHANGE IN BURMA
BKK POST: CHINA DEFENDS JUNTA
THE STRAITS TIMES: MYANMAR CAN?T JOIN ASEM ? FOR NOW
SCMP: JUNTA GENERALS TO BE LEFT IN WINGS AT ASIA-EUROPE TALKS
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THE NATION: A MILESTONE _ NOW FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS

December 16, 1997

Editorial

At 30, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has changed somewhat. At
the very least, it has come to grips with reality and, of course, its
limitations. It took the region-wide financial turbulence to hammer home to
the grouping that member countries have to take major reforms in a more
holistic way, taking into consideration economic, political and social factors.

Following what former prime minister Anand Panyarachun achieved at the 1992
Singapore summit by proposing the Asean Free Trade Area that touched off the
economic integration in the region, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has also
brought a breath of fresh air into the organisation.

Thailand?s insistence on the inclusion of the term "open Asean societies" in
the Asean Vision 2020 augurs well as a noble objective in the future vision
of Asean. Certainly, this was achieved after a marathon session of
discussions and negotiations. In the end, Thailand has had its way after
Indonesia. Laos, Vietnam and Burma agreed to some modifications as the
concept must be "consistent with respective national identities". It is the
Asean way of attaining a consensus.

With Thailand?s renewed firmness and confidence in conducting its foreign
policy, the country is resuming its long-lost leading role in Asean affairs.
With an unblemished record of honesty and integrity, Chuan _ along with
experienced Asean leaders _ can lead the grouping well into the next millennium.

In fact, this summit is Asean?s first step in moving towards a
multi-dimensional approach that would consider issues relating to the
environment, human resources, social development and other non-traditional
issues as envisaged in the vision statement. Asean?s leaders have realised
that to Progress and make their people happy and enjoy a high standard of
living, their societies have to be open, caring, and most of all, transparent.

This is an Asean aspiration. Certainly, each country will have its own ways
and means of achieving these aims. There is no time-frame. Asean must not
pretend that in the next two decades all member countries will be able to
make it. Thailand, which has gone through numerous trials and tribulations,
has been accentuating these messages at the summit meeting. 

Together with leaders from China, Japan and South Korea, Asean leaders have
already manifested their can-do solidarity by reaffirming all financial
measures that have been raised and endorsed in various forums in the past
month. The Asian leaders have also expressed confidence in the economic
fundamentals of the region and pledged closer cooperation in financial and
macro-economic policies.

The Kuala Lumpur summit provides a unique issues opportunity for Asian
leaders to discuss on their own how they want to chart their countries?
future. All leaders seem set to benefit from this gathering, China in
particular.

China?s	relationship with Asean is well entrenched and will be governed by
its joint declaration. To secure Asean?s prosperity, China must be engaged
in constructive ways. At least, Asean can remind China about the limit of
exercising power. Without trust and confidence from Asean, China?s role in
the region and: the global stage will be less secured.

What will Asean be like in the next 30 years? No one really knows. The Asean
vision adopted at this 30th anniversary summit can provide only part of the
answer.

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THE NATION: MINISTER URGES CLOSER TIES

December 16, 1997

RITA PATIYASEVI

FORMER employees of the 56 defunct finance companies could provide computer
training in Burma and Cambodia to encourage more personal contact between
Thailand and its neighbouring countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand
Paribatra said yesterday.

Sukhumbhand said the  international community may provide financial support
for the project if it has clear objectives.

He said Canada has shown enthusiasm for Thailand?s idea of offering
scholarships directly to Burmese students, bypassing the ruling Burmese
junta the State Peace and Development Council.

The proposal was broached by Sukhumbhand during his visit to Canada earlier
this month to sign the anti-land-mines convention. 

The scholarship project, which would require funding from the international
community, is part of the country?s efforts to forge closer ties with. Burma
at the grassroots level and to encourage  more openness in the country.

He said that although the government?s priority is to tackle the economic
crisis, the impact of globalisation is another big challenge facing Asean
that has forced member countries to become more interdependent. 
       
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BKK POST: SUU KYI URGES LEADERS TO SUPPORT CHANGE IN BURMA

December 16, 1997

AGENCIES

MALAYSIA IN REVERSAL ON ASIA-EUROPE MEET

Burmese pro-democrat leader Aung San Suu Kyi has urged Asean leaders to
support political change in Burma, in a recorded interview released yesterday.

"Without political change I do not think then there will be stability in
Burma nor will there be sustainable economic development," the Nobel Peace
Prize winner told a Bangkok based human rights group.

The pro-democrat leader warned that Burma would be a "weak spot" in the
Southeast Asian region unless there was political change to bring stability
to the country.

In the interview, recorded in Rangoon and made available by the Alternative
Asean Network on Burma, Mrs Suu Kyi said she believed some Asean states
sympathised with her call for a democratic government in the military state.
     
"I would think that people of the Asean countries are sympathetic and that
they do want to see a government in Burma that is accountable and that has
the support of our people," she said. 

"As for the governments of Asean I think that some of them do understand
that Burma is in need of political change that we cannot just go on like this." 

Mrs Suu Kyi said her October meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary
Domingo Siazon was a "sign of progress".

Meanwhile, Malaysia said late on Sunday that Burma has no "automatic" right
to join in the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) forum, in what is seen as a
turnaround from Kuala Lumpur?s earlier insistence that Rangoon be invited to
next year?s summit between the two continents.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the  Asem parley was
not a "region-to-region" meeting which would have required Burma?s
participation since it became an Asean member in July.

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BKK POST: CHINA DEFENDS JUNTA

December 16, 1997

AFP

The Chinese and Burmese leaders pledged to maintain close ties between their
nations at a key meeting yesterday on the sidelines of the East t Asian
summit in Kuala Lumpur, according to Beijing?s state media.

Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of Burma?s ruling junta thanked President
Jiang  Zemin for China?s backing when many countries had sought to isolate
the army ruled country. 

Mr Jiang indicated that China f would go on defending Burma, despite
international criticism it has faced over human rights and particularly the
military junta?s treatment of the pro-democracy opposition.

Mr Jiang said: "The world is a diverse one and each country has the right to
choose its social system and road of development in the light of its own
conditions," Xinhua reported.  

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THE STRAITS TIMES: MYANMAR CAN?T JOIN ASEM ? FOR NOW

BY LEE KIM CHEW IN KUALA LUMPUR

DESPITE Myanmar?s application, the door for its entry into the Asia-Europe
Meeting (Asem) remains closed, for next year at least. 

Asean leaders took this decision after consultations yesterday at the summit
with their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea -- the other Asem
members from East Asia. 

Asem, the region?s newest forum to foster closer political and economic
links with the European Union, had remained sharply divided over Myanmar?s
participation because of Western criticism against its poor human-rights
record. 

A regular Asean-EU meeting was postponed indefinitely last month because of
discord between the two sides over Myanmar?s participation in the talks. 

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who chaired the
Asean-East Asian summit, yesterday said the leaders had agreed that Asem
should not deal with "extraneous" issues. 

The Asian leaders also agreed that no new members would be admitted into
Asem?s second summit in London next year. This position would be reviewed
after that, he said. 

The decision to keep Myanmar out of Asem for the time being will mollify its
critics in the EU. More importantly, it removes a contentious issue that
could have scuttled next year?s summit. 

Dr Mahathir also disclosed that the leaders at the Asean-East Asia summit
had decided to meet again, but the timing and frequency still had to be
sorted out by the foreign ministers. 

There is a proposal that the summit should reconvene next year or two years
from now because of the need for them to prepare for the biennial meeting
with the European leaders in Asem. 

On yesterday?s Asean-East Asia summit, the first-ever gathering of Asian
leaders to discuss regional issues, Dr Mahathir said it was not a meeting of
the East Asian Economic Caucus, an entity he had once proposed in the face
of strong opposition from the US. 

*******************************************************

SCMP: JUNTA GENERALS TO BE LEFT IN WINGS AT ASIA-EUROPE TALKS

December 16  1997

GREG TORODE IN KUALA LUMPUR

Burma now appears certain to be left in the cold when the leaders of Asia
and Europe meet in London next year for only the second time in history.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad confirmed East Asian leaders
would not push for new members to be allowed to join the Asia-Europe Meeting
- a move which mirrors Europe?s position and apparently solves awkward
questions about Rangoon involvement.

When asked if he believed improvements had been made to the political and
human rights situation, Dr Mahathir said it was a matter of "perception".

His comments followed a historic first meeting in Kuala Lumpur between the
leaders of China, Japan and South Korea with the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations? (Asean) nine members.

Burma?s junta became the ninth member of Asean in July - a diplomatic coup
in terms of international legitimacy.

The move caused immediate friction with the European Union, which refuses to
grant generals visas in protest at human rights abuses and the lack of
dialogue between the junta and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Back-room disputes saw the postponement of an Asean-EU meeting in Bangkok
last month when no agreement could be found over Burma?s position as an
observer there.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, in a taped statement released yesterday, urged Asean
leaders to support political change in Burma. She warned the country would
be a "weak spot" in the region without such change.

Meanwhile, Cambodia?s neighbours are working to ensure its speedy entry to
Asean after its previous attempt was shattered by Second Prime Minister Hun
Sen?s bloody coup in July.

Recent developments, including the safe return of popular exile Sam Rainsy
following a grenade attack in April, had buoyed efforts, diplomats said.

Dr Mahathir believed the vision of a unified 10-member Asean would be secure
before next July, when foreign ministers meet in Hanoi.

Secretary-General Designate Rodolfo Severino expressed similar confidence
but continued to peg entry to "free and fair" elections scheduled for May 31.

Mr Hun Sen has proved a thorny potential partner for Asean, frequently
making it clear he would be prepared to go it alone if he did not secure the
group?s support.

Deposed first prime minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh remains in exile, with
Mr Hun Sen continuing to demand he face criminal charges should he return to
the country.
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