--------------------------------------------------------------
New Straits Times
Thaksin: Create
strategic alliances
Balan
Moses
BANGKOKI, Julu 9: THAILAND wants to join forces with
countries in the region, especially Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, to create
a strategic alliance that would involve ?drawing of strength from one
another?.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said these countries had
a common vision which would be mutually beneficial as they understood each other
well.
"Actually, the whole region, especially Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore, Indonesia, should draw some strategies together. And we should join
forces.
"You know, in business we have alliances.
"You need
economies of scale," he said in an exclusive interview at his office today with
New Straits Times Press group editor-in-chief Tan Sri Abdullah
Ahmad.
Thaksin said the region would benefit if countries thought
strategically along the lines of the corporate sector which worked along the
same lines as it needed the economies of scale.
"If we can think
strategically together, it will be a much better situation.
"We are
changing the landscape of countries bilaterally or multi-laterally in the
world.
"We have a different vision of the countries from which we can
draw strength and one plus one will equal more than two. I think in the future
we can do that." He said Thailand and Malaysia had the right chemistry to form a
strategic alliance of their own.
This was because both countries had come
a long way since he took over with bilateral relations "growing by leaps and
bounds".
"This is because I believe immediate neighbours are more
important to Thailand than neighbours further away. This is because we have to
live together eternally. We cannot separate. We have only one destination which
is a good relationship.
"We cannot have any other. We have to stay
together. We have to be close together. And not just close because we know each
other but we should be close by being a strategic alliance," he said.
To
an observation that the ThaiMalaysia gas pipeline was doing well (despite
opposition from some Thais), he said Petronas was moving very fast on the
project.
Petronas and the Petroleum Autho-rity of Thailand, he said, had
very good relations as far as the project was concerned, adding that he would
like to see greater collaboration between the two companies.
"I would
like them to work closer together in every energy-related area. And I also
explored this idea with Asia Co-operation Dialogue Ministers that Asia should
talk about energy and food security because we are fertile in both food and
energy.
"We should use this strength and draw strategies so that in Asia
we have both food and energy security. So, this idea needs the effort and
strength of different countries." On how long he would like to lead Thailand, he
said he would like his term as Prime Minister to stretch over eight years until
he reached 60.
"I am serious. Otherwise, I won't announce it. You know in
Thailand, political change happens so often. Until you may not even think that
you will be the Prime Minister after the next election. No one dares to say
that. But I dare to say that I will be there for eight years. But if people say
no, no, no ...you should stay longer." Thailand, he said, needed a stable
Government for at least 16 years to be able to be strong enough and "I can
assure you, under my leadership, it will be politically stable for many years."
On Thailand's concern over the situation in Myanmar, especially that involving
Aung San Suu Kyi, he said his country wanted national reconciliation in the
neighbouring coun-try.
"We are very concerned. And we keep a dialogue
going with the Government of Myanmar all the time." Thaksin feared that the
international community may impose sanctions against Myanmar if it did not
resolve the Aung San Suu Kyi issue.
Referred to his focused effort to
develop Thailand besides fighting the drug menace, twin pillars of his
administration which have won the admiration of many worldwide, he said he was
trying his best "but I don't know how much I can succeed".
"This is
because, being a chain leader in an open society like Thailand and also within
the old bureaucratic system, it is very tough as the resistance to change is
always there. Whatever you do, you will get some resistance. but you must have
strong determination for change." Thaksin, who has helped Thai society realise
the need to keep pace with development in the region, said he constantly
reminded the people of the better life ahead of them if they worked hard
together.
To a question on whether politics could be mixed with business,
he said one was eventually running an organisation, whether it was a government
or a business.
"The philosophy is the same. The concept is the same but
different in terms of how you handle different cultures. How you handle
different goals. I am trying to bring my experience as a CEO in running a
company to run a country." He will be visiting Langkawi on July 27 to attend an
event organised by Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology
related to science and technology.
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Daily Times
Thai govt struggles with Myanmar policy
after Suu Kyi detention
By Samantha
Brown
Thursday, July 10, 2003
BANGKOK:
Thailand?s government is struggling to adopt a coherent stance on Myanmar
following its military-ruled neighbour?s detention of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi more than a month ago, analysts say.
In a departure from his
typical conciliatory tone, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra joined US
President George W Bush in issuing a strong call for Yangon to release her
during a visit to Washington last month. But the premier?s critics say he has
now realised that this facade for international consumption needs to be balanced
with some quick back-pedalling at home to keep relations with the ruling
generals intact.
As a result, he targeted 1,500 political refugees who
have fled previous crackdowns in Myanmar for sanctuary in Thailand: they must
now relocate to camps along the border already holding some 125,000
refugees.
?Thailand doesn?t really have an overall policy on Burma...
They?re quite pragmatic and reacting to different circumstances with different
policies,? said Chulalongkorn University political analyst Panitan Wattanyagorn.
?They have no clear policy based on clear principles but under these
circumstances this may be the only way the government thinks is appropriate: a
dual-track policy,? he told AFP.
Panitan said refugee policy was likely
altered in the interests of ?trying to smooth out relations because there has
been pressure by the Burmese to make sure the refugees do not cause problems
relating to the embassy and personnel in Thailand?. ?In the short term it may
get by. But in the medium to long term it could present a conflicting stand and
the international community may see Thailand as having no common foreign policy
towards Burma,? Panitan said.
?The Thai government has created a climate
of fear and uncertainty which in effect stops democracy groups taking any action
to work for freeing Aung San Suu Kyi,? Sunai said. The dissident community, for
whom Bangkok and Thai border towns have become a stronghold, have used Thailand
to express their anger at Yangon before. ?AFP
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Special Envoy Of Myanmar Calls On
President
Updated on 2003-07-10 13:50:04
ISLAMABAD,
Pakistan: July 10 (PNS) - Foreign
Minister U. Win Aung, the Special Envoy of Myanmar's Head of State, called on
the President, General Pervez Musharraf,at the Aiwan-i-Sadr, Wednesday.
The Special Envoy delivered a message from the Myanmar head of State and
Government expressing sincere gratitude for the assistance given by Pakistan to
Myanmar in its development endeavours and affirming Myanmar's desire to further
strengthen bilateral relations.
The Special Envoy applauded the
contribution that President General Pervez Musharraf has made in promoting
regional peace and stability, especially in the context of Indian and
Afghanistan. He also briefed the President on the efforts of his Government to
promote harmony and socio- economic development of Myanmar.
The Special
Envoy reaffirmed Myanmar's full support for Pakistan's membership of the Asean
Regional Forum (ARF) and Full Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN.
The
President warmly reciprocated the kind sentiments of the Myanmar leadership and
recalled his visit to Yangon in 2001, which had imparted a fresh dynamism to the
development of bilateral relations.
The President underscored the
importance of further Strengthening mutually beneficial economic and commercial
relations and wished Myanmar every success in its national endeavours. He also
thanked Myanamar for its valuable support to Pakistan's effort to upgrade its
relations with ASEAN.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Bangkok Post - Thursday 10 July 2003
PM short on knowledge of constitution, says Bantoon
Panel has duty to obtain full facts
Mongkol
Bangprapa
The Senate foreign affairs panel has rejected the
prime minister's criticism of its recent meeting with members of Burma's
opposition, saying it acted within its capacity as a legislative
body.
The panel on July 4 met National League for Democracy executive
member Khin Zaw, 50, and youth-wing member Wunna Maung, 26.
They
recounted the events leading to the arrest of Burmese opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said the panel had breached
political etiquette by allowing the Burmese opposition to use Thailand as a
forum to speak out against Burma's military government.
Panel spokesman
Bantoon Krirkpittaya yesterday said the committee had the power to invite the
Burmese delegates to speak. That was part of its legislative duty.
``If
the government considers this to be inappropriate, then it doesn't fully
understand the constitution,'' he said.
``We know enough not to allow
ourselves to be used as a tool by any of the two opposing parties. We won't
allow them to use our country as a forum to attack each other.''
Mr
Bantoon cited as an example the case of the Dalai Lama who was allowed into
Thailand despite China's protest. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader arrived in
1993 in the company of a group of Nobel Prize laureates to campaign for the
release of Mrs Suu Kyi.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Nation
Border talks scheduled
Published on Jul 10, 2003
Thailand will host a
ministerial meeting with Laos, Burma and Cambodia at the end of this month to
discuss trade cooperation, Government spokesman Sita Divari said yesterday.
The foreign and tourism ministers, plus their counterparts from the
neighbouring countries, will attend the two-day meeting, beginning on July 31,
he said.
The secretary-general of Thailand's National Economic and
Social Development Board will also attend.
The talks would aim to find
ways to curb the flow of labourers into Thailand by creating jobs for them in
their own countries, Sita said.
One way of doing this, he said, would be
to move production of some goods, particularly agricultural products, to these
countries, where the raw materials are, as suggested by Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra.
This would increase the income for those countries, he said.
Thailand accounts for 91 per cent of the four countries' combined GDP.
Bangkok would also negotiate bilateral agreements with each of the three
countries on border trade, goods production, services and development projects,
Sita said.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Nation
Corralling the opposition
Published on Jul 10, 2003
Rungrawee C
Pinyorat
Sheer hypocrisy was on display last week when the
government announced that it would no longer tolerate any political activities
by Burmese exiles on the grounds that they might threaten bilateral relations
with the military government of Rangoon.
The announcement came amidst
the arrest of 11 Burmese pro-democracy activists in Bangkok who had called for
the release of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Never
mind that the demands of Burmese activists echoed those of Thailand and Asean ?
or that the right to peaceful assembly is recognised by international norms ?
the Thaksin Shinawatra administration was determined to make an example out of
the exiles.
The latest measure taken by the government has been to
transfer 1,600 Burmese asylum seekers ? whom the United Nation High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) has granted the status of ?persons of concern? (POC) ? to
makeshift camps along the Thai-Burmese border.
Thaksin has lashed out at
the UNHCR for issuing POC documents for these people without regulating their
activities. Such a decision, said the prime minister, violated Thailand?s
sovereignty.
In what appeared as a compromise, the UNHCR did not object
the government?s stance and agreed to provide assistance for the relocation of
Burmese holding POC status. The UNHCR only made a minimum request that Thailand
not force these exiles to return to Burma, where possible persecution awaits
them.
Historically, the arrival of Burmese dissidents in Thailand can be
traced back to 1988. Thousands of Burmese students were forced to flee the
country after the pro-democracy movement was violently crushed by the military
junta.
A second wave of Burmese students sought asylum in Thailand after
the junta closed down universities in 1996 in an attempt to crack down on
student activism.
Thailand, as an immediate neighbour of Burma, has been
directly affected by political conflicts in Rangoon. It tolerated the political
activities of these dissidents and did not put stringent regulations on them.
The attitude of the Thai authorities changed, however, after the siege of the
Burmese Embassy in 1999 and Ratchaburi Hospital in 2000.
When the
self-styled Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors ? in response to a barrage of
artillery and mortar shells from Thailand?s First Army ? carried out the
hospital seizure, Thai society and the authorities were in no mood for
explanations. The crisis ended with the deaths of all the Burmese
hostage-takers. Photographs of some corpses with hands tied behind their backs
were splashed on the front pages of local dailies.
Besides the loss of
the rebels? lives, the incident resulted in a setback for the entire Burmese
pro-democracy movement in Thailand.
Today, the Thaksin government has
put a nationalistic spin against the movement, calling it a threat to national
security. Suppression has been carried out under this slogan.
Nevertheless, the relocation of Burmese POC to border camps is unlikely
to solve the root of the problem. There are nine camps along the Thai-Burmese
border that house 125,000 displaced persons, most of whom are ethnic Karen. For
the time being, there is no real indication as to what the future holds for
these refugees as the Rangoon government and the rebels have yet to come up with
a cease-fire agreement.
The decision to transfer the Burmese POC to
border camps could force Burmese political dissidents to go underground.
Since Thailand has shouldered a great burden resulting form Burma?s
internal problems, the country should not be shy about taking a stance whenever
issues surface that may affect the well being of the country.
In other
words, Thailand must urge the Burmese government to live up to its promise of
political and constitutional reform. Thailand must also stop hiding behind the
highly cherished dogma of non-interference.
Foreign Minister Surakiart
Sathirathai said during the Asean meeting in Phnom Penh last month that Asean
had reached another stage of maturity as its members can comfortably discuss
internal affairs which affect the region as a whole.
In order to
convince the international community that Thailand and Asean really take the
matter seriously and are not just paying lip service, the country will have to
do more to push Burma towards a democratic society. And no country is, perhaps,
more suitable to take the lead in this matter than Thailand.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Taipei Times
US mulls sanctions against Myanmar,
efficacy not clear
Thursday, Jul 10, 2003,Page 5
With
Myanmar's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi again under arrest, the US is
preparing tough economic sanctions against the ruling military junta to make it
change its course.
But history and politics argue that such moves may
have little effect.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has come under intense
international criticism since arresting Nobel Prize winner Suu Kyi on May 30.
Japan, Myanmar's largest aid donor, has announced plans not to extend new
development assistance.
Now an imminent US ban on imports from Myanmar
could cut its export earnings by one-quarter to one-third. The country's exports
to the US totaled about US$356 million last year, mostly in garments.
The import ban is part of a package of measures the US Congress
assembled to punish the ruling junta for its fresh crackdown on the country's
pro-democracy movement.
A bill passed by the Senate is awaiting House
approval, and US President George W. Bush is expected to quickly sign it into
law.
Lawmakers were angry at the apparent violent provocation by
Myanmar's military which triggered the crackdown and has put Suu Kyi in
detention for an indefinite period. Never convicted of a crime, the 1991 Nobel
Peace laureate was previously held under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and
again from 2000 to last year.
"The message that we are sending to the
ruling junta in Burma is clear: Its behavior is outrageous," said Senator
Patrick Leahy.
Proposed EU trade barriers would also chip away at export
earnings.
But Myanmar, long ruled by generals, has a long history of
economic isolation giving it a certain immunity against sanctions.
The
late military dictator General Ne Win, who ruled from 1962 to 1988, espoused a
"Burmese Road to Socialism," banning most foreign investment which turned one of
Southeast Asia's most prosperous economies into a basket case.
The
country has gone without much bilateral aid and no new aid from the World Bank
and the International Monetary Fund since 1988 when the military brutally
crushed a pro-democracy uprising. Washington banned new investment by US
companies in 1997.
"People have mixed feelings about sanctions," said U
Saw, a businessman. "They know there is a need, but it affects the people."
People are used to hardship, U Saw said.
"Forty years ago we are
suffering. Today we are suffering," he said.
Global maneuvering may
lessen the impact of sanctions.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Japan, Malaysia agree to continue pressure on
Myanmar
TOKYO, July 10, Kyodo - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahamad Badawi agreed Thursday to
continue to pressure Myanmar to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi,
Japanese officials said.
Koizumi and Abdullah also agreed to work to
advance talks to conclude a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) to further
bolster bilateral economic relations, the officials said.
Abdullah is
expected to succeed Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister of Malaysia in October or
November.
While expressing concerns about the current situation in
Myanmar, Koizumi implicitly told Abdullah that Japan would provide no aid for
Myanmar unless its military government creates a better environment.
''Japan is willing to assist Myanmar for its development, and Myanmar
needs to listen to European countries, the United States and the international
community so that Japan can provide assistance,'' Koizumi was quoted as telling
Abdullah.
Koizumi told Abdullah that Myanmar should work to promote
democracy and the international community should continue to urge Myanmar to
that end, the officials said.
Abdullah told Koizumi that it is necessary
to call on Myanmar to make forward-looking changes and that Myanmar should not
take neighboring countries' concerns as interference in its domestic affairs.
At issue is the Myanmar junta's prolonged detention of Suu Kyi and some
members of her National League for Democracy.
Japan has told Myanmar it
will suspend fresh financial aid unless the junta releases Suu Kyi at an early
date.
At a separate meeting later in the day, Foreign Minister Yoriko
Kawaguchi called for Malaysia's cooperation to resolve security issues
concerning North Korea, including the North's nuclear development program and
its abduction of Japanese nationals in the past, the officials said.
Malaysia has diplomatic ties with North Korea, but Japan does not.
Abdullah told Kawaguchi it is important for North Korea to return to the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that the Korean Peninsula should be free
of nuclear weapons.
On the bilateral FTA, Abdullah told Koizumi that he
welcomes recent progress made to advance the agreement, the officials said.
Abdullah told Koizumi he believes Japan's talks with Malaysia have been moving
faster than those with Thailand and the Philippines.
Koizumi responded
that he hopes the talks will be advanced to maintain friendly relations between
Japan and Malaysia, according to the officials.
Earlier this month,
Japan and Malaysia completed a preliminary study on a bilateral economic
partnership, which includes the FTA, and agreed to proceed to the next stage of
the process by convening a joint study group of government officials,
private-sector representatives and academics in September.
Earlier in
the day, Abdullah met with Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma
and agreed to try to make the bilateral talks successful, the officials said.
Abdullah also met separately with Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa and
reconfirmed cooperation to foster viable bond markets in Asia to avoid a
recurrence of a financial crisis, they said.
--------------------------------------------------------------
EU asks Japan to press Myanmar to release Suu
Kyi
Thursday, July 10, 2003 at 10:48 JST
TOKYO ? A
senior European Union (EU) official has called on Japan and other Asian
countries to increase pressure on Myanmar's military rulers to release detained
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Etienne Reuter, an Asian affairs
expert and minister-counsellor of the Delegation of the European Commission in
Tokyo, said that Japan should freeze not only its official development
assistance but all other aid to Myanmar, and refuse to issue visas to its
military leaders.(Kyodo News)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Asian Tribune
Date :
2003-07-10
Sydney Declaration: Bring the Case of Burma to the United
Nations Security Council
At a special meeting of the
recently held in Sydney Australia, Members of the National Coalition Government
of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) and the Members of Parliament Union-Burma
(MPU-Burma): ?Reaffirmed that the Tabayin Incident on 30 May was a premeditated
attack to eliminate the leadership of the democracy movement ordered by Senior
General Than Shwe, chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC),
and members of the SPDC.?
The representatives elected by the people of
Burma called for the UN Secretary General Office and Special Envoy Ambassador
Tan Sri Razali Ismail to continue their efforts for national reconciliation in
Burma and urge all governments to bring the case of Burma to the United Nations
Security Council and facilitate the democratization process in
Burma.
Also the NCGUB and MPU-Burma declared that they hold Senior
General Than Shwe, patron of the rogue organization responsible for
orchestrating the ambush, the Union Solidarity and Development Association
(USDA), and other USDA executives, who are also members of the SPDC and SPDC
Cabinet, fully responsible for unleashing of state terrorism against unarmed
political leaders and democracy activists.
Full text of the resolution
adopted at Sydney, Australia, by the Members of the National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma and the Members of Parliament Union-Burma
elected in the 27 May 1990 general election held a meeting in Sydney 6-8 July
2003, is as g follows:
Reaffirm that the Tabayin Incident on 30 May was a
premeditated attack to eliminate the leadership of the democracy movement
ordered by Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), and members of the SPDC,
Hold Senior General Than Shwe,
patron of the rogue organization responsible for orchestrating the ambush, the
Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), and other USDA executives,
who are also members of the SPDC and SPDC Cabinet, fully responsible for
unleashing of state terrorism against unarmed political leaders and democracy
activists,
Reiterate that Senior General Than Shwe and top leaders of the
SPDC, who are resorting to violence and confrontation, are the main stumbling
block to national reconciliation and democratization in Burma, and
Urge
the international community to be wary of SPDC leaders' propaganda and
diplomatic drive aimed at justifying murder and unleashing of state terrorism
against the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
In this regard, we, the
representatives elected by the people of Burma:
- Encourage the UN
Secretary General Office and Special Envoy Ambassador Tan Sri Razali Ismail to
continue their efforts for national reconciliation in Burma and urge all
governments to bring the case of Burma to the United Nations Security Council
and facilitate the democratization process in Burma,
- Urge all
governments that have taken unilateral and multilateral punitive measures
against the Burmese military junta to impose sanctions and import bans and to
bring Burma issue to the UN Security Council,
- Profoundly thank all
governments, institutions, organizations, and individuals who have called for
the unconditional release of all detained leaders, including Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, and for the immediate resumption of dialogue for national reconciliation in
Burma,
- Deeply appreciate the European Union, Nordic and Scandinavian
countries, the United States, and other nations that have imposed visa
restrictions and other punitive measures against the Burmese military
junta,
- Deeply appreciate the Japanese Government's withholding of
Official Development Assistance to the Burmese generals and urge it to continue
withholding it until a transparent, accountable, and responsible government of
national reconciliation is in place,
- Appreciate and commend ASEAN
countries which have expressed concern over the detention of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and other leaders, called for their release and for resumption of national
reconciliation process in Burma, and supported the initiatives by UN Special
Envoy Razali Ismail,
- Appeal to ASEAN countries to play an even greater
and active role in helping resolve problems associated with national
reconciliation in Burma,
- Appreciate the Australian Government for
suspending human rights training in Burma which the SPDC has been using for
propaganda purposes only and request it to comply with the calls by the Burmese
communities in Australia for punitive action against the Burmese military
junta,
- Urge neighboring countries to act responsibly and fully support
and cooperate with the UN Special Envoy in his endeavors to bring about national
reconciliation in the interests of regional peace and stability,
- Deeply
appreciate the Australian Trade Unions, the Burmese Community in Australia, and
the Australian people for making this meeting possible and for their warm and
cordial hospitality, friendship, and support,
- Appreciate and encourage
Burmese students, democracy organizations, Burma support groups, and Burmese
activists and patriots who have come together in unity at the Second
International Burmese Students Conference in Sydney 4-7 July 2003 to unanimously
express their desire for the quick restoration of democracy and human rights in
Burma,
- Pledge our firm commitment to increase cooperation with all
overseas trade unions, democracy organizations, Burma support groups, students,
Burmese activists and patriots, and international institutions until democracy
is restored in our country,
- Firmly pledge to work even more closely
with all ethnic nationality forces and democracy organizations engaging in the
struggle for ethnic rights, democracy and human rights in Burma,
-
Reaffirm our determination to seek the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other
detained NLD leaders and members, and other political leaders, and to continue
working for democracy in accordance with guiding principles set by the NLD
leadership,
- Share the grief of families of people who had died in the
brutal, premeditated attack near Tabayin on 30 May 2003,
- Express firm
solidarity with the people of Burma who, despite the hardships and oppression,
continue to strive for democracy,
- Pledge firm solidarity with all
elected representatives in Burma who are continuing to play leading political
roles,
- Appreciate and encourage Burma support groups worldwide for
their divestment, consumer boycott, and shareholder campaigns in support of the
Burmese people and the democracy movement,
- Appreciate the trade unions,
employers, and governments for their role at International Labor Organization
conferences to stop forced labor practices and ensure freedom of association in
Burma, and
- Strongly reaffirm our commitment to continue the struggle
until the goal of the democracy movement, which is nothing less than to restore
democracy to Burma, is attained.
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