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BURMA RELATED NEWS
- October 26, 2002.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------- AP - U.N. rights expert completes
investigation in Karen, Mon states
AP - Myanmar to sell more than US$25
million worth of gems and jade
AP - Thai Drug Hitting Calif. Club
Scene
AFP - UN rights envoy meets with
Myanmar home ministry officials
Asia Tribune - Peoples Parliament of
Burma nominated new ethnic Parliament members.
Asia Tribune - Burma?s deteriorating
crisis ? Answer is Better Governance ? Aung San Suu Kyi.
Xinhua - Thai-Myanmar border trade
remains slow even after checkpoints reopening
Bernama - Asean Seeks Speedy
Admission Of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam To WTO
Bkk Post - Rangoon red-tape
hits imports, exports
-------------------------------------------------------------------- U.N. rights expert completes
investigation in Karen, Mon states
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ A United Nations human rights expert talked with state security officials Saturday, after investigating complaints of human rights abuses in two southeastern states, a U.N. official said. U.N. human rights rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro spent three days in Karen and Mon states, where he questioned administrative and judicial officials about allegations of villagers being tortured, relocated and arrested, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Myanmar's ruling junta, ostracized by the West for its antidemocratic stand, has shown a new keenness to improve its image amid widespread criticism that it abets or turns a blind eye to abuses by soldiers and officials. The junta had invited Pinheiro, a politics professor from Brazil, to investigate reports of human rights abuse and he arrived Oct. 17 for his fourth visit to Myanmar. He will report to the U.N. General Assembly in November. In Karen and Mon states, Pinheiro inspected a court and a police lockup. He met aid workers and religious figures, including a revered Buddhist monk known as Thamanya Sayadaw, in Karen, the U.N. official said. Pinheiro returned to the capital, Yangon, on Friday night, and held discussions Saturday with the military government's administrative and security personnel. The U.N. team planned to travel Sunday to the notorious Tharawaddy prison, 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Yangon, to interview political prisoners, the official said. Pinheiro met opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and senior members of her National League for Democracy on Tuesday, and expected to meet her a second time before leaving. The junta has refused to let the party take power although it won the 1990 general elections. The military rulers are now holding reconciliation talks with Suu Kyi, but progress has been minimal. The government also invited Pinheiro to travel to northeastern Shan State to investigate allegations that the military uses rape as a weapon of terror against women of the Shan ethnic minority. But Pinheiro said he would not go because he would not have time to fully evaluate the situation. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Myanmar to sell more than
US$25 million worth of gems and jade
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) _ Gem merchants from 11 countries are expected to snap up more than US$25 million in precious stones at an eight-day emporium that opened Saturday in Myanmar. Over 200 merchants are participating in the government-supervised sale, Deputy Mines Minister Myint Thein told reporters Friday. He said nearly 100 of them are from Hong Kong. Myanmar, also known as Burma, produces some of the world's finest quality jade, rubies, sapphires and pearls. The government has held gems emporiums annually since 1964, usually in February, and supplemented them with midyear sales a few years ago when the economy was liberalized and private dealers were allowed to participate. The emporiums let international buyers choose from a large selection of stones instead of going from shop to shop to haggle. Also, the quality and genuineness of the stones is certified by the government, which gets a 10 percent commission on total sales. Myint Thein said that out of the US$25.41 million worth of merchandize on sale, US$20.59 million in gems and jade will be sold by auction. The remaining US$3.69 million in gems, jade and pearls will be sold by tender and US$1.1 million in gems, jewelry and jade carvings will be sold at fixed prices, Myint Thein said. The merchants hail from Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thai Drug Hitting Calif. Club
Scene
The Associated Press, Sat 26 Oct 2002 SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? The newest drug to hit California's underground club scene is sweet, colorful ? and deadly. The drug, a form of methamphetamine called ya ba, a Thai name meaning ``crazy drug,'' has made its way into raves and is said to be significantly more powerful and dangerous than the current club drug of choice, Ecstasy. ``The scary thing about these is that they are adding color to them and adding flavor, which could give the perception that these drugs are less dangerous than they really are,'' says Will Glaspy, a spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The pills, which cost $10 to $20 apiece, are sometimes passed off as Ecstasy to unwitting users, Glaspy said. Packing a potent mix of highly addictive methamphetamine and caffeine, ya ba can keep users awake for days and has hallucinogenic effects, sometimes causing users to believe they have bugs crawling under their skin. The drug can be fatal, and common side effects include increased heart rate, dehydration, paranoia and depression. In August, federal agents in Sacramento made the largest bust of ya ba smugglers since the drug first appeared in the United States three years ago. The arrests of 10 people in Sacramento for allegedly smuggling 75,000 pills from Thailand and Laos came after U.S. Customs seized 46 shipments of ya ba in Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Honolulu, which were destined for Sacramento addresses. So far, ya ba has appeared mainly in Southeast Asian communities around California. Law enforcement's efforts have been hampered because ``we're talking about a pretty closed community, so it's pretty hard to get information,'' said Daniel Lane, the lead U.S. Customs official in Sacramento. Officials fear the drug will spread from its niche into the mainstream, much as the painkiller Oxycontin did. The prescription drug, which also has shown up on the underground club scene, first gained a following in poor, rural areas, garnering the nickname ``hillbilly heroin.'' Methamphetamine abuse is not a new problem in the United States, where about 1 million people reported using meth in the last year in 2000. Drug Enforcement Agency chief Asa Hutchinson has called methamphetamines ``the No. 1 drug problem in rural America.'' In urban areas, he says, club drugs are the top problem. Ya ba, then, may be a terrifying combination. Ya ba has become a vague label for any type of methamphetamine in pill form, although it specifically refers to the brand produced in Southeast Asia. Meth more commonly comes in powder form, allowing users to snort it through their nostrils or inhale its fumes when heated. In Thailand, addiction to ya ba has reached nearly epidemic proportions, with the Thai Health Ministry estimating 3 million people are addicted to amphetamines. Ya ba was at first sold legally in Thailand, where truckers used the pills to stay awake. The government declared ya ba illegal in 1970, but the drug has since managed to enter all segments of Thai society, with reports of widespread drug use by manual laborers, college students and even five-year-old schoolchildren. The drug is now produced mainly in Burma by the United Wa State Army, a group of ethnic tribespeople allied with the country's ruling junta and known to be one of the world's largest and most well-armed drug-dealing organizations, law enforcement officials said. Ya ba already has spread outside Southeast Asia, and has reportedly shown up on the underground club scene throughout Europe and Australia. In the United States, ya ba has shown up only in California, which is already the nation's main meth maker. Mexican criminal groups still dominate meth production, according to the DEA, although the Southeast Asian variety has been gaining ground. The arrests in Sacramento stemmed from four different investigations, three involving attempts to mail boxes of ya ba into the country and one involving an attempt to smuggle both opium and ya ba in a shipment of furniture. But smugglers have gotten much more creative than that, Lane said. He's seen ya ba stuffed into CD cases, chopsticks and even dead insects. The 10 arrested, who are originally from Laos, are currently awaiting trial. -------------------------------------------------------------------- UN rights envoy meets with
Myanmar home ministry officials YANGON, Oct 26 (AFP) - UN human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro met with Myanmar home ministry officials as he continued his low-key monitoring mission here Saturday, official sources said. Pinheiro met with Home Minister Colonel Tin Hliang and police chief Brigadier General Htin Yee, the sources said, but details of their discussions were unavailable. The Brazilian academic is here on an 11-day mission to build a picture of the human rights situation. Since his arrival here on October 17, Pinheiro has held talks with top guns in the ruling junta, opposition members, religious and ethnic minority leaders, and prisoners. He has met with powerful military intelligence chief General Khin Nyunt and Foreign Minister Win Aung, as well as the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Pinheiro, who is on his fourth visit here, also spent three days travelling in Mon and Karen state, southeast of Yangon, to assess the situation there. His regional trip came after he cancelled a three-day visit to northeastern Shan state. He had planned to investigate claims of systematic rape by soldiers, following reports by Thailand-based Shan women's groups which have been vehemently denied by the junta. But Pinheiro cancelled the planned trip, saying it would be impossible to gather enough facts within the short period. In his most recent report to the UN General Assembly, Pinheiro said the "recent mellowing on the political front" -- referring to the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest in May -- was not enough to improve the human rights situation. He urged the UN to get ready to help with the transition to democracy, saying: "The present delicate situation... needs to be handled with great care and generosity on the part of those who wish the people of Myanmar well." Pinheiro is due to leave Myanmar on Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Tribune
Date : 2002-10-26 Peoples Parliament of Burma nominated new ethnic Parliament members. Rangoon, Burma October 26:The Committee Representing People's Parliament (CRPP) held its regular meeting at the National League for Democracy (NLD) headquarters in Rangoon on 23 October. Present at the meeting were NLD leaders, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the CRPP, and chairmen of the Mon National Democracy Front, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and Zomi National Congress. The meeting released Declaration No. 1/10-02. An NLD office in charge read the declaration as follows: (NLD official) Declaration No. 1/10-02 of the Committee Representing the People's Representative elected by 1990 Multi-Party Democracy Elections. The CRPP held a meeting on 23 October 2002 and made the following decisions: 1. U Aye Thar Aung is to continue performing his duties as the secretary of the CRPP. 2(a) U Aye Thar Aung will represent the Arakan League for Democracy in the CRPP. (b) U Nai Tun Thein (chairman of the Mon National Democracy Front - MNDF) will represent the MNDF in the CRPP. (c) U Khun Tun Oo (chairman of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy - SNLD) is to represent the SNLD in the CRPP. (d) U Pu Cin Shing Thang (chairman of the Zomi National Congress - ZNC) will represent the ZNC in the CRPP. 3. Dr. U Saw Mra Aung (chairman of Arakan League for Democracy - ALD) will officiate as the designated Speaker of the Parliament in the CRPP. 4(a) the meeting decides to accept new members and expand the CRPP. (b) U Aye Thar Aung has been given the responsibility to draft necessary procedures to accept new members in the CRPP. 5. The work affairs committees under the CRPP will be reviewed. Meanwhile, Democratic Voice of Burma, (DVB), Burmese broadcasting station based in Norway, conducted an interview with U Khun Tun Oo, Chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy and U Aye Thar Aung, Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Arakan League for Democracy in connection with the expansion of the CRPP. U Khun Tun Oo, Chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy: DVB: Can you please give us your opinion about the leaders of ethnic political parties joining the CRPP? Khun Tun Oo: Since we are elected representatives of the people, we are obliged to do something for the country and the people. Let us say that we have joined the CRPP because of that conviction. We have done it because we believe that this is something that political parties must do. DVB: Does that mean, uncle, that you all will be devoting your full time to the CRPP? Khun Tun Oo: Yes. DVB: When the CRPP was formed in 1998 and plans were made to convene the Parliament, the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) took action to prevent it from taking place. Do you expect that from happening again? Khun Tun Oo: Yes, we expect it. This is because... but under the circumstances, ( cannot hear the words here) and it does not matter. If arrests and releases take place again and again, the situation will only create more hardships. We believe that the CRPP is formed only because the talks are not going on smoothly. In other words, we have to join the CRPP and work for it because we are representatives elected by the people and given mandate by them. DVB: The CRPP has decided to expand its membership. Do you think political parties like the National Unity Party can also join the CRPP? Khun Tun Oo: Of course, it can. If the NUP accepts the principles and procedures of the CRPP it can join also. By the way, it is not only the NUP but also the other parties that can join the CRPP. DVB: I see. If the NUP and other political parties join the CRPP, what sort of political significance... Khun Tun Oo: It will be difficult to forecast or predict. This is because if all political parties join, the CRPP will be able to make good decisions and create good conditions for the country. In addition, all of the parties can come up with good suggestions and make collective decisions in a peaceful way and hold talks with the SPDC. DVB: I see. So, how would you, Uncle Khun Tun Oo, like to describe the main objective of expanding the CRPP? Khun Tun Oo: What we have done is to prepare for a dialog. That is the main idea, and we have said it many times. That is the responsibility of a representative of a political party elected by the people. We are showing the people that we are doing our duty. U Pu Cin Shing Thang (some unclear words here). But, what is problematic is that nothing really is peaceful and problems are not getting resolved. They are only getting worse. Pressure from the international community is growing, economic hardships are worsening, and (unclear words). So we thought we cannot just stand idly by. We thought we need to change our strategy. That is why we have done it. If the path is blocked, we have to find an exit or a way out. Isn't it true? We need to do something. We cannot suck our thumbs and sit idly by. Nothing has improved. People are starving and the situation is getting worse with time. We are trying to find a solution to the problem. Our country is in a situation where it cannot move forward or go backward and the people are facing worsening hardships. We joined in to do our duty. We need to find a way out, resolve the problem through political and peaceful means. DVB: So, can we say that the expansion of the CRPP is a politically significant move? Khun Tun Oo: Certainly, it is politically significant. That is because we see the move as an attempt to achieve a breakthrough in the political stalemate. We will try to reform the political system through peaceful means. The country is facing socioeconomic, education, health, and all other forms of hardships. Hence, political parties that are elected by the people and that consider themselves responsible are compelled to do their duty. When do we do it if not now? Do we-- political parties and elected representatives--stand by without doing anything for years? Or, do we try to find a solution by holding talks with the SPDC? Now is the time for us to be thinking about it seriously. Hence, even though there is danger for us, we have to do it. It is not that we are not afraid, of course, we are. And, we do see the danger. We are afraid and we see the danger and we are not rushing in blindly. The burden of responsibility is on our shoulders and we have no other choice but to do our duty. DVB: In other words, you mean you have already considered all the consequences of expanding the CRPP. Khun Tun Oo: Yes. But we cannot just look at the negative consequences only and fear for ourselves. We are bound by our duty. We established a political party and ran in the elections because we want to serve the interests of the people and the country. U Aye Thar Aung, member of the Central Executive Committee of the Arakan League for Democracy: UATA: Previously, I represented four political parties. But, I now only represent the Arakan League for Democracy but will continue serving as the secretary of the CRPP. DVB: Are there any other changes of responsibilities from the original CRPP? UATA: No, no changes. We have subcommittees under the CRPP. I will share the responsibilities with the three chairmen (of Mon National Democracy Front, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and Zomi National Congress) who have now joined the CRPP. DVB: How would you describe the expansion of the CRPP in political term? UATA: Politically speaking, the CRPP will have a lot more work to do. That is the reason why it is being expanded. It will be accepting as ethnic political parties as well as other political parties which won in the elections. DVB: Politically speaking, is it possible that the expansion of the CRPP result in a confrontational situation because it is taking place at a time when the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) is delaying the talks? UATA: Well, you cannot look at it that way. If they are to start the talks, then we, as the CRPP, will also have things to talk about too. The CRPP will be carrying out the tasks as necessary. DVB I see, since you said that the CRPP will be doing whatever is necessary, may I ask, if I may, what you as its secretary intends to be doing? UATA: The CRPP has two important tasks. It will be working for the emergence of the Parliament and while the Parliament cannot yet be convened, it will function as a Parliament. Those are the two tasks that the CRPP will continue to carry out. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Tribune
Date :
2002-10-26
Burma?s deteriorating crisis ? Answer is Better Governance ? Aung San Suu Kyi. Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel laureate and the leader of the non-violent movement for human rights and democracy in Burma, strongly hoped and believed by millions of Burmese as the beacon of hope for the return of peace and normalcy in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy leader, was freed on 16 May 2002, after 19 months under house arrest. After her release from the housed arrest she said, ?It is not power that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power, corrupts those who wield it. Fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.? Aung San Suu Kyi, in the 15 years she?s been on the world?s political arena she has displayed her steely will power, determination and has shown her own fearlessness. Asian Tribune gives below her latest interview: Transcript Of the Interview With Aung San Suu Kyi: Question:Is increased funding the answer to Burma's humanitarian crisis? Aung San Suu Kyi: No, better governance is the answer to Burma's humanitarian crisis. Q: Do you think that increasing humanitarian assistance to Burma will increase the capacity of civil society? Why? If not, what will? ASSK: No, simply by increasing assistance, you are not going to do anything to change the situation of the civil society. Other measures have to be taken to ensure that civil society is strengthened. For example, there have to be measures that will enable pluralism to flourish in Burma, without pluralism, there can't be a strong civil society. Q: Those who advocate caution over a massive increase in humanitarian funding have been described as " irresponsible," " lacking in compassion," and " valuing politics over human suffering." Do you have a comment? ASSK: I think this is a very, very sweeping statement, to say that simply because people advise caution over something they are to be considered irresponsible, lacking in compassion, etc, etc. I thought, caution was something that every reactionary rather approved of. Now, it's strange that reactionaries would be saying this thing that caution means irresponsibility. I think if people don't like what you are doing then they will say you are irresponsible because you are doing too much and then again, if they don't like the fact that you are doing too little, they start saying you're irresponsible too. So, I think this is a very subjective comment. Q: Are those who want to attach conditions to aid being too inflexible? Why? ASSK: Too inflexible? ? not at all, because it depends very much on the conditions. If the conditions are reasonable, then you cannot say that there is inflexibility. Q: Those who promote increased humanitarian assistance to Burma say that the humanitarian crisis in Burma cannot wait for political change. Do you agree with this assertion? ASSK: I think what I would like to say is that Burma cannot wait for political change, but we need it now! Q: The larger amounts of aid being received by Burma's neighbors are sometimes cited as justification for a massive increase in aid to Burma. Is this comparison a valid justification? ASSK: Not at all, it depends on what the differences between Burma and her neighbours are. What we have to look at is, why Burma's neighbours are receiving more aid than what we receive and then we have to decide whether or not this difference is justifiable. Q: What conditions are necessary to ensure that humanitarian assistance to Burma will benefit its people? ASSK: I've said this ad nauseam, accountability, transparency and independent monitoring. Unless there is accountability and transparency, you can never say what happens to all that assistance. It may not go to help the people; on the contrary, it may go into schemes that harm the people. So unless there is accountability and transparency we cannot say that humanitarian aid is assisting the people. Q: If you could speak to those who would make decisions on increasing aid, or humanitarian assistance to Burma, what would you say? ASSK: What I would like to say is the most important aspect of humanitarian assistance or any kind of assistance is good governance. Unless there is good governance, you cannot ensure that the assistance will really benefit the country. So, we cannot say often enough that good governance is the answer to Burma's humanitarian problems. Q: What type of aid do you think is important to sustain at this stage? ASSK: It is possible that there are some forms of humanitarian aid that can be used properly at this time because there's accountability and transparency and at the same time it is possible that there some kinds of development aid which also fit the bill. Q: What about HIV/AIDS projects? ASSK: There is a lot of interest in HIV/AIDS projects and I think that's a good thing because, certainly we need to be very concerned about this problem. But, I don't think that we should forget other problems, because there is so much concentration on HIV/AIDS. Q: You have also stressed that aid should directly benefit the people and bring about democratisation. It has been claimed that trade and aid that increases the size of the middle class will bring about democratic change; therefore massive amounts of economic aid are needed for Burma. Do you agree? ASSK: I don't think that just because you create a middle class that you will bring about democratic change. I don't think those two necessarily go together and I do not think that you can claim that, certain forms of economic measures will bring about political reform automatically - political reform is political reform. I would have thought that on the contrary, it is the right kind of political reform that can promote economic reform. Q: What are your criteria to determine satisfactory community consultation and community participation? Would the assertion that "our door is always open" or " they know where we are and they can talk to us when we are on-site" constitute adequate community consultation? ASSK: No, of course not. In the community, the people of the community have to feel free to say what they want to say (and) they have to feel free to go and see whom they want to go and see. So, unless there is that kind of freedom, freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom of thought, I do not think that you can say that it is a satisfactory situation. Q: Do you have an ideal model community participation? ASSK: No, I don't have an ideal model. I don't think you can talk about ideal models, because one community is quite different from another. The basic requirements, as I said, are freedom of speech and freedom of association. Unless there are freedom of speech and freedom of association, I do not think that community participation could be absolutely satisfactory. Q: Should consultation include ethnic nationality groups? ASSK: I think agencies should try and get in touch with everybody who is concerned with the projects that they are trying to run. I don't think you can just say that, " in this matter we will only consult ethnic nationalities," or in " this matter we will not consult ethnic nationalities," it's very much on the kind of project they are running. They have to consult whoever would be affected by these projects. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Thai-Myanmar border trade
remains slow even after checkpoints reopening
BANGKOK, Oct 26, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Despite the Thai-Myanmar border reopening, trade between Mae Sot and Myawaddy, the most important checkpoints between the two countries, remains extremely slow, the Bangkok Post reported Saturday. Mae Sot customs checkpoint chief Boonthiam Chokwiwat said the value of cross-border trade between Mae Sot and Myawaddy averaged only 600,000 baht (14,300 US dollars) a day since the reopening on Oct. 15. He imputed the bad situation to Yangon's restrictions on imports and exports, saying that Myanmar's authorities still impose strict measures on border trade by banning 16 kinds of goods for import and 28 types of goods for export to protect its own industries and prevent inflation. The cross-border trade would remain slow until the two countries held official local- and regional-level talks, he added. However, there was still no progress on rescheduling the 19th Local Thai-Myanmar Border Committee Meeting in Mae Sot and the Regional Thai-Myanmar Border Committee Meeting in Moulmein, Myanmar. Panithi Tangphati, adviser to the Chamber of Commerce of Tak province, also said the import/export quotas and the ban on many goods resulted in Thai goods worth tens of millions baht being stranded in Myawaddy warehouses. He was quoted as saying that it was unusual and surprising that cross-border trade had not picked up in the golden time between the end of Buddhist Lent and the Songkran Festival. The 16 banned imports include monosodium glutamate, biscuits, chewing gum, cakes, wafers, chocolates, canned food, instant noodles, liquor, beers, cigarettes, fresh fruit, plastic products and occasionally-controlled goods. The 28 banned exports include teak wood and products, petroleum, gems, rice, arms, shrimp, ivory, some animals (cattle, elephants, horse and rare animals), antique objects, cotton and wool, leather, peanuts, fresh water fish, silver, tin, gold, diamond, jade, chickens/ducks/pigs/goats/lambs, rubber, zinc, bronze, pearls, charcoal, zeorite, lead and other metals. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Malaysian National News
Agency
October 25 , 2002 18:40PM Asean Seeks Speedy Admission Of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam To WTO KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Asean has called for the expeditious admission of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam into the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)'s help in the matter. Speaking at the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Los Cabos in Mexico, ASEAN secretary-general Rodolfo Severino said, similarly, the Association of South East Asian Nations wished to see the eventual entry of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar into APEC. Severino said the call was in line with the building-block approach and in the spirit of open regionalism that Asean has been forging stronger bonds with its major economic partners. He said that even as Asean strived to integrate the regional economy, it remained ever more committed to open regionalism, the principle on which APEC was founded. Severino's speech was released here Friday to Bernama by the Asean Secretariat. "Asean continues to be committed to WTO despite its disappointment with, if not outrage over, the pattern of behaviour of the stronger members that runs counter to the agreed norms of international trade,..behaviour that includes the unjustified raising of tariff walls, destructive agricultural, subsidies and the abuse of anti-dumping measures. "For Asean, the core of its economic agenda is its integration as a region. Only an integrated Asean can effectively deal with its economic partners. Only through an integrated Asean can the economies of the region compete effectively in a globalised world economy," he added. He said fuller integration was key to Asean's competitiveness, which would advance APEC's purpose as well as helping to realize a free and fair global trading system. He noted that in less than two weeks, the heads of government of Asean and China have been scheduled to sign a framework agreement on some commitments beginning 2003. It would include among others, negotiations on the creation of an Asean-China free trade area within 10 years, to liberalise trade in services between them and to develop a liberal investment regime. On the same ocassion, the heads of government of Asean and Japan are expected to agree on a framework for deepening the long-standing partnership between them, including elements of Free Trade Agreement. "Asean and Korea are taking leading parts in the effort to strengthen the economic links among the Southeast Asian and Northeast Asian countries in what is known as the Asean+3 process," he said. Severino in his speech also noted some of the progress made with regards to other Asean partners such as Australia and New Zealand, India as well as the United States. He said these efforts significantly contribute to the advancement of APEC's purposes. Severino added that Asean countries have also stepped up their cooperation among themselves and with others in the fight against terrorism. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Bangkok Post -
Saturday 26 October 2002
Rangoon red-tape hits imports, exports Thai products gather dust in warehouses Supamart Kasem Despite the Thai-Burma border having reopened, trade between Mae Sot district and Myawaddy remains extremely slow due to Rangoon's restrictions on imports and exports. Mae Sot customs checkpoint chief Boonthiam Chokwiwat said the value of cross-border trade between Mae Sot and Myawaddy averaged only 600,000 baht a day since the reopening on Oct 15. He believed trade would remain slow until the two countries held official local- and regional-level talks. ``Burmese authorities still impose strict measures on border trade by banning 16 kinds of goods for import and 28 types of goods for export.'' There was still no progress on rescheduling the 19th Local Thai-Burma Border Committee Meeting in Mae Sot and the Regional Thai-Burma Border Commitee Meeting (RBC) in Moulmein, Burma. Panithi Tangphati, adviser to the Tak Chamber of Commerce, said Burma had reopened its border but was still imposing restrictions on trade to protect its own industries and prevent inflation. The import/export quotas and the ban on many goods resulted in Thai goods worth tens of millions baht being stranded in Myawaddy warehouses, he said. It was also unusual and surprising that cross-border trade had not picked up in the ``golden time'' between the end of Buddhist Lent and the Songkran Festival. On Thursday, the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Border Trade Committee resolved to consult Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and all provincial chambers of commerce on how to boost cross-border trade. The 16 banned imports include monosodium glutamate, biscuits, chewing gum, cakes, wafers, chocolates, canned food, instant noodles, liquor, beers, cigarettes, fresh fruit, plastic products and occasionally-controlled goods. The 28 banned exports include teak wood and products, petroleum, gems, rice, arms, shrimp, ivory, some animals (cattle, elephants, horse and rare animals), antique objects, cotton and wool, leather, peanuts, fresh water fish, silver, tin, gold, diamond, jade, chickens/ducks/pigs/goats/lambs, rubber, zinc, bronze, pearls, charcoal, zeorite, lead and other metals. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |