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BURMA RELATED NEWS - September
17, 2001.
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HEADLINES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Pulse - S Korea, Japan, China, Asean to
Cooperate in IT Standardization
Reuters - Southeast Asia cautions U.S. on
retaliation
Asia Pulse - Asean & Australia Agree to
Enhance Trade Relations
Reuters - Premier on firmer footing after Asian
deals
Kyodo News - ILO team
arrives in Myanmar for forced-labor probe
TTI - ILO team in Myanmar to survey forced
labour
Bkk Post - High costs
mar Burma ventures
NSTP - Asean firm, looking
forward
------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday September 17, 5:19 PM
S Korea, Japan, China, Asean to Cooperate in IT Standardization SEOUL, Sept 17 Asia Pulse -
South Korea, Japan, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN]
agreed Monday to strengthen cooperation through efforts to adopt common
standards for information technology [IT], according to the Ministry of
Information and Communication.
The agreement was reached at director-general meetings from officials of
the three Northeast Asian countries and ASEAN held in Okayama, western
Japan.
Under the agreement, the participating countries agreed to work for the
standardization of the "Asian public key infrastructure [PKI] forum" and
"e-learning."
A PKI ensures that sensitive electronic communications are private and
protected against tampering, providing assurances in the identities of the
participants in transactions. It also prevents their later denial of
participating in such transactions.
At the meetings, South Korea, Japan and China reviewed a proposal to set up
the "digital bridge fund" aimed at narrowing the digital divide in the Asian
region.
The three countries also discussed the installment of a pilot network for
ultra-high speed Internet services among the three as part of efforts to expand
such services in the region.
The 10 ASEAN member states comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Monday September 17, 2:23 PM
Southeast Asia cautions U.S. on retaliation BANGKOK (Reuters) - Southeast
Asia has urged the United States to investigate thoroughly before ordering
retaliation for last week's terror attacks, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart
Sathirathai said on Monday.
"Every country, including all in ASEAN (the Association of South East Asian
Nations), would like to see the United States obtain clear-cut evidence and a
thorough investigation before starting its operations," Surakiart told
reporters.
"Don't jump the gun now on what and how the U.S. will respond."
The White House on Sunday promised retaliation by a "mighty giant" awakened
by the world's worst terror acts as New Yorkers looked to God and Wall Street to
help them recover from attacks that reduced the World Trade Center to rubble.
The Bush administration pledged to avenge the attacks by hijacked airliners
that ploughed into the trade center's twin towers and the Pentagon near
Washington, but warned the fight could be long and difficult. The White House
said well-heeled Saudi-born exile Osama bin Laden was its chief suspect.
ASEAN groups Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei,
Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.
Monday September 17, 11:29 AM
Asean & Australia Agree to Enhance
Trade Relations
CANBERRA, Sept 17 Asia Pulse -
The Australian has government hailed an agreement reached by ASEAN, Australian
and New Zealand economic ministers to establish a Closer Economic Partnership
[CEP] to boost the economic integrity of ASEAN's 12 member countries.
The economic ministers agreed to form a CEP applicable to ASEAN members on
the one hand, and to Australia and New Zealand on the other hand, Australian
Trade Minister Mark Vaile said yesterday.
ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) includes Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
The agreement, which will have effect from next year, will have a positive
impact on Australia's exports to ASEAN members, which stood at $15.1 billion
last year, Vaile said.
"I am pleased that we have agreed to form a frame of reference for the CEP,
which covers a working program for the next six years to facilitate economic
cooperation between the two regions," he said following annual consultations
between Ministers from the ASEAN Free Trade Area [AFTA] and the Australia - New
Zealand Closer Economic Relations Agreement [CER].
This is for the first time for ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand to agree on
economic relations in an effort to step up trade and investment flows between
the two regions, he said.
"We also have agreed on the working program which serves as a starting
point for cooperation in all fields, including customs, e-commerce and small and
medium scale businesses," he said.
He also said the Australian government will provide $3.5 million in funds
to finance ASEAN members' initial program to eradicate plant diseases and
pests.
The program will strengthen ASEAN members' capability to control plant
diseases and pests, which will in the end benefit Australia, he said.
During the consultations, the economic and trade ministers of ASEAN and
Australia also agreed to form an AFTA-CER Business Advisory Council.
The council will hopefully give input to ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand
on the continuation of CER at each annual consultative meeting.
Monday September 17, 5:34 PM
Premier on firmer footing after Asian deals By Mike Elliott LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) -
Britain's Premier Oil Plc said on Monday a $135 million cash injection from a
restructuring of its Asian assets put the company on a sounder financial footing
that would allow it to pursue new exploration opportunities.
Premier, whose shares have underperformed the UK oil and gas sector by 30
percent in the past five years, also reported a 57 percent increase in first
half profits on the back of continuing high oil prices and a 36 percent increase
in production.
"Premier is on the turn. The financials are improving and obviously will be
improved quite considerably by these asset deals, " Chief Executive Charles
Jamieson told Reuters.
The group sold a 50 percent stake in its Pakistan interests
-- having acquired via an assets swap Royal Dutch/Shell Group's
49.9 percent in their joint venture this year
-- to Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Co for $105 million to set up a
joint venture with the Kuwait Petroleum Corp unit.
Premier also sold its 40 percent interest in the Indonesian Ujung Pangkah
field, which it now considers non-core, to partner Amerada Hess Corp of the
United States for $30 million.
The deals will reduce net debt, which stood at 471.7 million pounds as at
end-June, to 376.9 million, with gearing (net debt divided by net assets)
falling from 149 percent to 107.
Premier, in which Amerada Hess and Malaysian state oil firm Petronas
[PETR.UL] each hold 25 percent, said net profit in the six months to June 30,
2001, was 12.4 million pounds, up from a restated 7.9 million, on turnover of
94.5 million. Analysts had been expecting profits in range of eight and 14
million pounds.
Net profit and revenue would have been 5.3 and 8.4 million pounds higher
respectively had Premier been able to recognise the proceeds of take or pay
contracts from the Yetagun project in Myanmar. Premier was paid but the gas has
yet to be taken.
"Our reported results are in essence understating the true profitability
and position of the company," Finance Director John van der Welle said in the
telephone interview.
OUTPUT REVISED DOWN
While production grew 36 percent in the period to 35,300 barrels of oil
equivalent per day (boepd), this was less than expected and output for the year
is now expected to be 40,000 boepd, down from the 50,000 estimated earlier this
year.
Jamieson said the decline was due to "teething problems" in the take up of
gas in Thailand and Singapore and a delay to the UK Kyle field coming onstream.
"These were temporary hiccups rather than any underlying problems," said
Jamieson, who sees output climbing to between 45,000 and 50,000 boepd in 2002.
Shares in Premier, which have outperformed the oil and gas sector by almost
90 percent in the past 12 months, were up 1/2 penny or 2.4 percent at 21-1/4p at
0900 GMT.
The stock re-entered the FTSE 250 mid-cap index last month.
Despite the company's strong performance over the past year, Premier Oil
continues to view its shares as undervalued and has accepted its shareholding
structure is holding the stock back.
At the annual meeting in May, Chairman David John said the board was
seeking ways to reduce the discount.
"This is very much a live issue....we are in discussion with our
shareholders," Jamieson told Reuters.
ILO team arrives in Myanmar for
forced-labor probe
YANGON, Sept. 17, Kyodo - A
high-level International Labor Organization (ILO) delegation arrived here Monday
for a three-week investigation of alleged forced labor in Myanmar.
The four-member ILO team is led by former Australian Governor General
Ninian Stephen. Myanmar's ruling junta issued a decree in September 1999
declaring forced labor illegal, but pro-democracy groups and other sources say
it continues despite the official decree.
The junta and the Geneva-based ILO reached agreement in June last year for
the visit of a high-level ILO delegation.
Deputy Labor Minister Brig. Gen. Win Sein earlier told reporters, ''The ILO
team will be given freedom of movement and contacts, and we will not accompany
them, except for security personnel when necessary.''
The other members of the delegation are Kulatilaka Ranasinghe, a former
chief justice of Sri Lanka, former Philippine Labor Minister Nieves
Roldan-Confesor, and Jerzy Makarczyk, former deputy foreign minister of Poland
and currently a judge of the European Court of Human Rights.
The Times of India
Sep 17, 2001. ILO team in Myanmar to survey forced labour YANGON: An International Labour Organisation (ILO) team arrived in Myanmar
on Monday for a three-week mission to carry out a detailed survey on the extent
of forced labour in the country, officials said.
A UN spokesman said the team, led by Sir Ninian Stephen -- a former
governor-general of Australia and former judge at the International war crimes
tribunals for Rwanda and ex-Yugoslavia -- had landed in Yangon.
The UN declined to release the mission's itinerary, but government sources
said they expected it to concentrate on Karen and Shan states, where most of the
complaints about forced labour have been recorded.
After being slapped with an unprecedented condemnation at the ILO In 2000
over the issue, and threatened with tighter sanctions if it failed to act on the
issue, the junta has promised to the ILO every assistance here.
"The team will be given freedom of movement and we will not accompany them
except to take care of their security," deputy labour minister Brigadier-General
Win Sein told the Myanmar Times.
The Geneva-based ILO said it had been guaranteed the team would have "full
discretion to establish a program of such contacts and visits as it considers
appropriate across the country."
A Labor Ministry source said the authorities had prepared a program,
transport and accommodation for the ILO representatives but that they may decide
not to accept them.
"It is likely they would want to make their own arrangements," he said,
reiterating that the ILO team had insisted on being given a free hand.
Bangkok Post - Sep 17,
2001.
High costs mar Burma ventures
Wassana Nanuam
Fishing joint ventures between Thailand and Burma were unlikely to go ahead
because of the anticipated high costs for Thai investors, a senior naval officer
said.
Amornchote Sujirat, director of the Thai-Burma Fishery Co-ordination
Centre, said there were few possibilities for co-operation since 75% of the
investment for each project would have to come from the Thai side.
He said Thai investors were unlikely to agree to the conditions of the five
fishery-related businesses, which required all marine animals be sent to Mergui
port in Burma.
Naval relations between the two countries were also poor, he said, with
Burmese soldiers at Kawthaung, opposite Ranong, still refusing to contact Thai
troops by radio.
There were often delays even in the case of contacts through the
Thai-Burmese township border committee in Ranong and Kawthaung. A meeting
between Thai and Burmese naval officers would be held in Kawthaung next month in
a bid to improve ties.
Commodore Amornchote said Burma would again probably fail to send two
officials to the Thai-Burma Fishery Co-ordination Centre in Ranong despite
promising to do so at the recent 19th Regional Border Committee Meeting in
Pattaya.
Since Oct 6, 1999, Rangoon has banned Thai fishermen from Burmese waters
following the siege of the Burmese embassy here. More than 50,000 Burmese
workers are currently working for fisheries and related businesses in
Ranong.
The New Straits Times Press
Asean firm, looking forward Grouping equipped to face changes in global environment By Kasmiah Mustapha MON: ECONOMIC Ministers from the Association of South-East Asian Nations
ended their meeting in Hanoi over the week determined to ensure the grouping is
equipped to face changes in the global economic development.
They agreed that the attacks in New York and Washington have added to the
urgency for Asean to further strengthen economic co-operation within member
countries and to enhance the region's competitiveness to attract foreign direct
investment.
Asean is looking at a different future, they said, as the tragedy will in
some way or other change the global economic growth given that the US is a major
economic power.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said at
this point, Asean has to see what are the economic implications following the
attacks.
"We have not seen any economic reaction yet," she said after the close of
the AEM meeting.
"At this point of time, we feel the US does not want to see economic
destabilisation and from the reports we have, they are trying their best to
maintain a stable environment." Rafidah said the tragedy will affect how the US
views its partnerships — both economically and politically.
"And that may down the line result in changes in the way they want to do
business with their trading partners. Probably we have to react by then.
Political decisions will have an impact on the economy.
"In the meantime, Asean has to make sure the region always remains
competitive as we cannot ignore the fact that people have choices." One of the
efforts taken to ensure competitiveness is the recommendation to form a free
trade area with China, as the country has been the main destination for trade
and investment flows over the last several years.
With its entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) soon, the country is
expected to become a formidable challenge to Asean in attracting investments.
Rafidah said that Asean had made progress in its programmes.
Malaysia, she said, has been able to participate in a number of programmes
that not will only benefit the private sector but also new members.
Rafidah said member countries have also sorted out the logistics to
rationalise future meetings and to make it more comprehensive in order to avoid
duplication of issues.
One of the important decisions reached at the meeting was the endorsement
on the sectoral mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) for electrical and
electronic equipment.
Rafidah said the MRA is important because it will enable Asean to
facilitate trade especially with the recognition of standards for electrical and
electronic products.
The sectoral MRAs will allow products tested in one Asean country to be
sold in other member countries without duplicating the testing and
certification.
The Asean six — Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and
Indonesia — will bring down tariffs in manufacturing, agriculture, fishery,
forestry and mining sectors by 2010 from the original deadline of 2020.
New members will shorten the deadline by at least five years from
2020.
These six countries and Myanmar will also accelerate the date for
eliminating the temporary exclusion list (TEL) for the manufacturing sector to
2003 from 2010 while Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will follow in 2010.
Rafidah said by Jan 1, 2002, the six Asean countries would have effectively
realised Afta, a year ahead of schedule.
"In fact, Malaysia had met its obligation of eliminating 60 per cent of the
tariff lines in their inclusion list to zero per cent. So Afta is on track," she
added.
Asean also agreed to implement the Asean Integration System of Preferences
(AISP) in which original members extend tariff preferences to the new members by
Jan 1, 2002.
Rafidah said Malaysia has agreed to grant preferences on 12 products to
Laos, 345 from Myanmar and 172 products from Vietnam adding that Cambodia's
request is still under consideration.
The AISP would be implemented on a bilateral and voluntary basis and would
be based on products proposed by Asean's new members.
Member countries also reviewed plans for elimination of duties on
information and communication technology (ICT) products, a commitment under the
e-Asean framework agreement.
Nineteen private sector projects have been endorsed as e-Asean projects
under the
agreement. |