• Instead of using China as an excuse for inaction, ASEAN members must exercise their substantial influence on Burma?s military leaders to secure the delivery of genuine political and economic reforms. • ASEAN?s collective leverage on Burma?s junta, known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) stems from the SPDC?s reliance on: • Petrol and diesel supplies from Malaysia and Singapore to keep business running and military vehicles on the road. • Trade with ASEAN which accounts for 51.3% of its total foreign exchange revenue. Gas sales to Thailand, alone, accounts for 43%. • Thailand and Singapore as their biggest sources of new Foreign Direct Investment, constituting 98.61% in the past 2 years. • Singapore?s financial services that the SPDC and their cronies utilize to store and move their ill-gotten wealth away from Burma. • In addition, Indonesia can take the lead for ASEAN in the UN Security Council, the body most feared and respected by the SPDC. Indonesia is set to chair the UNSC in November 2007. • An ASEAN freeze - or even a slowdown on economic, material, and diplomatic support - will shepherd the regime to political dialogue and the achievement of genuine reforms. Actions should include a temporary freeze on all Burmese-held bank accounts and assets in Singapore as part of a money-laundering review. • Such actions will be an incentive for other ASEAN partners, such as China, to actively cooperate with efforts to achieve a durable solution on Burma. ?Passing the buck” to China undermines ASEAN?s credibility and standing. • Despite sitting on immense natural resources, Burma?s military regime is in a vulnerable position. Oil and gas revenue from many long-term projects will not be forthcoming until their completion and actual delivery. Meanwhile, the regime faces financial shortages due to its own mismanagement and irresponsible spending priorities. • The ASEAN status quo (unconditional economic engagement, statements without action) directly benefits the regime, and reduces any incentive for it to implement urgently-needed reforms. It emboldens the regime to further perpetrate economic mismanagement, crackdowns, and offensives that will affect regional stability. • All ASEAN members, as well as India and China, are negatively affected by Burma?s economic instability, drug production, high numbers of refugees, and the transmittal of diseases across borders ? all of which stem from the junta?s misrule and mismanagement.