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HEADLINE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AP - ASEAN Nations Said Interdependent
Reuters - ASEAN ministers to meet to tackle
security issues
Channel NewsAsia - ASEAN needs to redefine what
constitutes 'domestic issues': Thai Foreign Minister
India Times - Bid to check smuggling on Myanmar border
India Times - EU to increase aid to Myanmar
Bkk Post - BURMA - EU considers boost in
humanitarian aid
The Nation - EDITORIAL: Time for Asean to open its ears Saturday July 22 5:40 AM ET
ASEAN Nations Said Interdependent BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Myanmar's pro-democracy movement agrees with
Southeast Asian leaders who believe the problems of one country can hurt others
and should be tackled together, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi says.
In a videotaped message prepared for members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, she called for a return to stability and rule of law in
Myanmar, ``not only that our country may progress and our people may be happy,
but that that we may be able to contribute toward stability and progress in our
region.''
ASEAN members will hold meetings next week in Bangkok among themselves and
with other nations such as the United States and Japan. Copies of Suu Kyi's
message will be distributed by her supporters Monday, when ASEAN foreign
ministers begin formal talks.
Myanmar - also known as Burma - is a member of ASEAN, whose members
traditionally have sought to avoid criticism of, or involvement in, each other's
domestic affairs.
But Myanmar has become increasingly ostracized from much of the world,
especially Western nations that take its military government to task for human
rights abuses and failure to turn over power to a democratically elected
government.
Fellow ASEAN member and neighbor Thailand also has become increasingly wary
of the junta, in large part for its failure to effectively curb the traffic of
illegal drugs into Thailand.
Thai officials are pushing for a new ASEAN attitude that would allow more
involvement in other nations' affairs.
Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, says her National League for
Democracy ``and other forces working for democracy in Burma have always
understood that the struggle is mainly ours.''
``It is our duty to do what we can to bring about necessary changes in our
country,'' she said.
Noting, however, that Myanmar's problems have spilled over its borders in
the form of refugees in Bangladesh and Thailand, she said ``the days have passed
when we can say that the troubles of one country can be isolated and that the
internal affairs of one country are no concern of its neighbors.''
ASEAN is Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, also known as Burma,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
WIRE:07/22/2000 02:35:00 ET
ASEAN ministers to meet to tackle security issues BANGKOK, July 22 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian foreign ministers meeting in
Bangkok next week will tackle security issues ranging from Indonesia"s bloody
ethnic conflicts to Indochina"s cross-border trafficking in drugs and people.
The region"s wrenching economic crisis of the past few years has exacerbated the
problems, a senior Thai official said on Saturday. "The (foreign) ministers will
devote a lot of their time to discuss the security implications of
globalisation," said Nitya Pibulsonggram, the Thai Foreign Ministry"s permanent
secretary and chair of the preparatory sessions. The two-day meeting of ASEAN
ministers begins on Monday. The Association of South East Asian Nations groups
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The ASEAN ministers are expected to call for a
peaceful resolution of the religious slaughter in Indonesia"s spice islands,
where thousands are said to have died. Bangkok"s Nation newspaper said senior
officials preparing the meeting would urge foreign ministers to consider a
statement supporting Indonesian territorial integrity and a peaceful end to the
other conflicts convulsing the country. Nitya said ASEAN foreign ministers would
also tackle regional crime, health and environment issues. Plumes of smoke from
forest fires on Indonesia"s island of Sumatra have wreathed parts of Malaysia
and Thailand in smog over the last few days, prompting fears of a re-run of the
widespread health problems and disruption to tourism caused in 1997. Indonesian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sulaiman Adbul Manan said his country would support
ASEAN talks on the smog problem. Jakarta has admitted it has no strategy to
douse the fires. Earlier this week, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said
the meeting"s priorities also included how to address small arms smuggling. THAI
PLAN TO SPEED CRISIS RESPONSE COULD BOG DOWN Despite the region"s array of
problems, Thailand"s plan for a so-called "troika" model to speed the bloc"s
often sluggish response to crises could run into trouble. The model is inspired
by the European Union"s practice of having the current EU president head a
three-way, decision-making group to lead the way on ad hoc issues. However,
Southeast Asians nations have traditionally stuck to a policy of
non-interference in each others" affairs and changing this attitude promises to
be a thorny process. "This mechanism should be implemented only when all parties
agree on a situation that needs (it) to be implemented," Nitya said. Human
rights group Amnesty International said rights violations were at the root of
regional conflict and instability. "ASEAN leaders and dialogue partners should
include human rights protection in any discussion on conflict prevention and
resolution," it said in a statement. "If ASEAN is to seriously address regional
security, it must take up the challenge of promoting and protecting the full
spectrum of human rights -- economic, social, civil and political," it
urged.
Channel
NewsAsia
Saturday, July 22 6:00 PM
SGT
ASEAN needs to redefine what constitutes 'domestic issues': Thai Foreign MinisterThai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan says ASEAN needs to redefine what
constitutes domestic issues while retaining the cardinal principle of
non-interference for the regional grouping.
Addressing ASEAN senior officials, he said issues with potential for spilling over into neighbouring countries have to be re-assessed in light of the proposed new Troika. And as our Indochina Correspondent Romen Bose reports, the senior officials have finalised the terms of reference on setting up the Troika following their two day meeting which ended on Saturday. ASEAN Foreign Ministers who meet on Monday are expected to endorse the setting up of a Troika comprising the past, present and incoming chairmen of the ASEAN standing committee. The Thai Foreign Minister said with this new diplomatic avenue for resolving issues among member states, there is a need for the definition of "domestic issues' to be re-examined. "Some of these issues because of their changing nature, because of the globalisation process that is going on, could not be regarded as exclusive or domestic anymore. Drugs, problems haze, problems of women and children trafficking, problems of degradation of the environment, problems of diseases, all these problems because of the nature in which they are being transformed cannot be regarded as domestic or exclusive, internal as before," he said. Touching on the ASEAN Regional Forum to be held late next week, officials say they expect significant dialogue between the grouping and North Korea. North Korea has been invited as a full dialogue partner and is expected to send a high level team to the Forum. ASEAN countries are also expected to hold talks with China on signing a code of conduct on the South China Sea, as well as meet to discuss the Southeast Asia Nuclear Free Zone. As senior officials conclude discussions, ASEAN Foreign Ministers are beginning to converge on the Thai capital, to hold further discussions on key issues affecting the regional body. The highlight of the meeting is expected to be several bilateral breakthroughs in the next few days. The Times of India - July 22,
2000.
Bid to check smuggling on Myanmar border
MOREH, Manipur: A high-powered central team on Friday said there should be
a few "composite check posts" along the Moreh-Imphal national highway number 39
to prevent smuggling through this border town in Chandel district.
Expressing concern over the inflow of contraband goods from Myanmar, team
chairman Madhav Godbole said at a meeting with district officials that there
were many check posts along the highway now.
Instead of having so many check posts manned by various agencies, there
should be a few composite check posts of various departments along the highway
to prevent smuggling from across the border, a senior official who attended the
meeting said.
The team will submit a detailed report to the Centre on problems at border
areas in the north eastern region.(PTI)
The Times of India - July 22,
2000.
EU to increase aid to
Myanmar
BANGKOK: The European Union will give military-ruled Myanmar more humanitarian aid sometime down the road, the French ambassador to Thailand said Friday. French Ambassador Christian Prettre said the EU is considering including Myanmar, now under sanctions, in an agreement with Laos and Cambodia that provides assistance, especially technical and humanitarian aid. Such inclusion would provide a framework for increased aid, but Prettre did not say when it might come, or if it depended on changes in the repressive state also known as Burma. A "troika" of EU representatives will make a second visit to Myanmar to hold talks on issues of concern, he said. A date is not set. The EU limits relations with Myanmar's government to protest its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government. EU foreign ministers toughened sanctions on Myanmar in April, saying the government has intensified repression of civil and political rights. In 1998, the EU banned visits by Myanmar officials, withdrew trade privileges and imposed an arms embargo. To that was added a ban on equipment "that might be used for repression" and a freeze on funds held abroad by members of the regime. The United States maintains similar policies. At ministerial-level meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Bangkok next week, the EU will sit down with Myanmar representatives, something it has refused to do at forums it hosts. (AP) Bangkok Post - July 22,
2000.
BURMA - EU considers boost in humanitarian aid Ways sought outside scope of formal pact Post Reporters
The European Union is seeking ways to enhance humanitarian assistance to Burmese people outside a formal Asean-EU agreement that still excludes Burma, a senior European official said yesterday. Thierry Rommel, charge d'affaires of the European Commission in Bangkok,
refused to elaborate, saying only " the signal is clear".
But he affirmed this was part of a package sanctioned by EU foreign
ministers in April that called for punitive measures against the Rangoon regime
and more attention to the "terrible conditions" of Burmese people.
"So we are trying to identify how outside the scope of this co-operation
agreement we can enhance humanitarian assistance for the Burmese population
directly, " Mr Rommel said.
French ambassador Christian Prettre, speaking for the French presidency of
the EU, said: "Keeping Myanmar in a ghetto is probably not the best possible
solution.
" But at the same time, it is obvious we cannot close our eyes to the
situation.. we have to be very cautious in our demarches and see how the Myanmar
authorities react," he said.
Current EU assistance to Burma is largely confined to support for the
repatriation of Muslim Rohingyas from Bangladesh spearheaded by the UNHCR,
sources said.
Laos and Cambodia are due to accede to the 1980 Asean-EU co-operation
agreement on July 28, leaving Burma as the only Asean member state outside the
framework.
The French ambassador said domestic developments in Burma would be
important to any future consideration of its accession to the agreement.
Asked to identify the differences between Burma and Laos, the ambassador
said Burma used forced labour while Laos was not accused of such resort. But the
EU also was "not indifferent to the evolution of the regime in Laos and has made
it clear", he said.
For Swedish ambassador Jan Axel Nordlander, representing the future
presidency of the EU, the main difference between the two countries was that
Burma had an elected government which is "not allowed to exercise powers".
EU and Asean foreign ministers will hold their first ministerial level
dialogue with Asean in three years in Vientiane in October. The dialogue was
disrupted after Asean's controversial admittance of Burma in July 1997. But the
EU troika have met Burmese and other Asean foreign ministers as part of Asean's
Post-Ministerial Conference since then, and will do so again next week.
The Nation - July 23, 2000.
Burma Under Microscope
THE political situation in Burma will be one of the topics set for discussion when Asean foreign ministers and their dialogue partners meet on Thursday to discuss global and regional security matters, official sources from the grouping said yesterday. The sources said some Asean members, the European Union and the United States wanted the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) to include Burma as an official item of discussion, believing the political situation in the country and other social problems including drugs, trafficking and HIV-Aids could affect regional peace and stability. Burma joined Asean in 1997. It has also urged Asean to respect the grouping's principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of individual members. The Nation - July 22, 2000. EDITORIAL: Time for Asean to open its ears
The time has come for Asean to accept input from non-governmental organisations, civil society advocates and think tanks. For the past 33 years, Asean officials have been mainly responsible for solving issues confronting the grouping. They formulated their ideas based on their national experiences. From time to time, outside help was sought to tackle such sensitive issues as the free trade area and the restructuring of Asean organisations. However, with the new political and economic landscape, Asean needs fresh ideas from people of all backgrounds because these people's lives, more than ever before, are at stake. It makes sense to seek their ideas on how to solve their problems if Asean is genuinely to adhere to its principle of building a caring society by putting people first. The Asean Vision 2020 has set forth the goal of creating a community of caring societies. But how can the Asean societies be caring - let alone understand the plight of the poor - if ordinary people are prevented from sharing their views and solutions? So far, Asean has put money first. In fact, money has become so important that it will become the major thrust of renewed Asean cooperation. One cannot deny the importance of fixing the financially related problems that brought about the economic crisis three years ago, but the citizens must come first. It is imperative that Asean takes up human security as its top priority and does away with all euphemisms because common folk do not understand "Asean-speak". They should be able to take part in broader discussions with Asean officials on issues of their concern. Within this context, Thailand should continue to push for its longstanding idea of establishing a people's council so that the Asean citizens, non-governmental organisations, parliamentarians and academics can contribute their thoughts. Asean affairs are too important to be left to the Asean elite. Five years ago, a similar proposal to the Thai one was shot down because it was deemed too farfetched. However, in the wake of the region's economic crash and the calamity wreaked on ordinary people, the time is ripe to seek their participation. Many Asean members might not be happy with this idea because their citizens do not have freedom of _expression_. Well, leave them alone. For the like-minded Asean countries, they can proceed with the council's idea and hold a meeting informally. Its recommendations could then be advanced to relevant senior Asean officials. In fact, there have been some useful recommendations coming from NGOs and civil society organisations on how to make Asean a better organisation. But no Asean officials seem to care. Interestingly, Asean officials also fail to utilise the brain resources in their member countries. The Asean network of strategic think tanks, known as Asean-ISIS, can be a useful forum to tackle difficult and sensitive issues that the governments find difficult to deal with. Asean-ISIS has existed for 16 years and the organisation has contributed greatly in providing answers to many Asean questions. But the problem is that Asean has not taken full advantage of the Asean think tanks. Over the past several years, as a token of their appreciation, the Asean senior officials would meet for one hour with the Asean-ISIS delegation on the sidelines of their annual gatherings. Both sides need more time to exchange views and think through important issues. They deserve a long hearing. Every time they meet, the officials are in a hurry because they must attend other meetings. A caring Asean can only be achieved through input from Asean citizens.
Otherwise, where's the caring? |