Mahathir says ASEAN to admit Burma

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Subject: Mahathir says ASEAN to admit Burma despite pressure

Mahathir says ASEAN to admit Burma despite pressure

08:42 a.m. Apr 30, 1997 Eastern 

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 (Reuter) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
said on
Wednesday the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) would admit
Burma into the
grouping ``unless something unusual happens.'' 

ASEAN would shrug off pressure from Washington to keep Burma out, Mahathir
told reporters at
the end of a conference on Malaysia's development strategies. 

``Unless something unusual happens, I think Burma will be admitted. Whatever
pressure is exerted
on them, we feel we are independent enough,'' Mahathir said. 

Washington last week imposed economic sanctions on Burma's military rulers
who continue to hold
hundreds of pro-democracy activists in jail and have kept their leader,
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi, under virtual house arrest. 

It stepped up the pressure last Friday by openly opposing Burma's admission
into ASEAN. 

Malaysia is this year's chairman of ASEAN, which also groups Brunei,
Indonesia, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 

Mahathir is keen to have Burma, Laos and Cambodia admitted this year, the
30th anniversary of
the grouping, thus completing ASEAN's original ambition of including all 10
Southeast Asian nations.

``There will be problems but remember the business community in America does
not support the
government's action. Governments come and go,'' Mahathir said. 

Asked what would stop Burma from being admitted, Mahathir said: ``Perhaps if
the government
slaughters five million people in Burma. If we are really concerned for
people and we want the
people to enjoy a good life and freedom, they should be admitted.'' 

ASEAN foreign ministers will meet in Kuala Lumpur on May 31 to decide when
to admit the three
new members. ^REUTER@ 

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