'The Idea Is Very Poor' (August 7,

[kyawkyaw@xxxxxxx]

INTERVIEW WITH U OHN GYAW

UNLIKE CAMBODIA, MYANMAR IS already an ASEAN member - but it is proving no
less awkward a problem. While the ASEAN and ARF meetings were taking place
in Manila, democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi was camped outside Yangon in
her car - not budging after being prevented by authorities from seeing her
supporters in the countryside. The stand-off led U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright to sharply rebuke the junta. There was surprisingly blunt
criticism from within ASEAN too. Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon
all but advocated a people-power revolution in Myanmar. His remarks followed
calls by Thailand for ASEAN members to be more openly critical of each
other. On the eve of the Manila sessions, Myanmar Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw
defended his government to Asiaweek's Roger Mitton.



Why is Myanmar against reviewing ASEAN's non-interference principle?

It is not only our government that is against this initiative. If ever there
is anything to be thrashed out or resolved, then there are many ways an
ASEAN country may pass comments or contribute remarks or advice. So why
should there be any change of the principle in ASEAN in order to express
concern or worry?



The proposal is perceived by some as be-ing specifically directed at Myanmar.

If so, then the idea is very poor and the change unrealistic.

Should Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsu-wan have consulted you first before
going public with his proposal for more frank talk among ASEAN members?

It is his own affair.



Some say the Thais have been pushing the idea at the behest of the Americans.

Draw your own conclusions. We do not point fingers. If you study our
[response], we do not mention any country.



Are you upset that Minister Surin has not visited Myanmar yet?

No, we are not upset. He is a busy man. He has commitments. In fact, he
plans to come over to Myanmar.



Yes, and he has said he wants to see Aung San Suu Kyi. Does that upset you?

No, why should I be upset? He is ex-pressing what he wants to do. He can see
anyone. He can see the U.N. secretary-general. He can see the Pope.



Have you met Suu Kyi recently?

No, why should I?



She's a leading politician in your country.

That's what you think.



Have any senior members of your government met her recently for a dialogue?

No. You know very well she made it a condition that without her there can be
no meeting, that [her party's] chairman Aung Shwe cannot see Gen. Khin Nyunt.

Does that mean you would be happy to have a meeting with lower-level
officials from her party?

There is a saying in China: the one who ties the knot will have to untie it.



So the first move for dialogue should come from them?

Whatever your conclusion is.



Surely this inflexible attitude by both sides is not in the interests of
Myanmar.

What we are doing is the Myanmar way. We are responsible for the whole
country. When we do something, we want to be perfect and disciplined because
our contemporary past has been chaotic. We do not want to plunge ourselves
into another chaotic situation.



When we met in December, you said things could not go on as they had done,
that you had to change. But since then not much has changed in Myanmar.

What do you mean by change? It's a process that we are doing. The democratic
system and the constitutional process are going on. Inch by inch we are
making progress. We are building more roads, providing more security to the
people. We have our economic plans. Now we are concentrating on producing
more rice and other agricultural crops. And at the same time, on the
political front, the constitutional process is going on, [with] meetings of
the convening committee every alternate week, I think.



When is the new Constitution going to be finished and elections held?

As soon as possible. Our [ruling council] chairman Gen. Than Shwe said on
Armed Forces Day that we would not like to stay in power for a long time.
However, as long as there is a danger of disintegration, we'll have to wait.
In order to have a strong Constitution, we'll have to take time. But we will
not take an unnecessarily long period.



Even Malaysia and Indonesia, who strongly pushed for your membership in
ASEAN, are unhappy that little progress has been made.

If this is what they would like to express, they can do so. But this is a
very important factor we are discussing. It is the internal affairs of a
country. Not only a country in the region, but also a country which belongs
to the same association. It's just like in a boat - if there is some
commotion in the boat, the boat will capsize.