EBO BURMA NEWS 22 JULY 2003
News Summary:
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1.
2.
3. UN envoy backs Malaysian PM's warning
on
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by P. Parameswaran
NUSA DUA,
refer the
rulers release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu
Kyi soon, diplomats said
Tuesday ahead of ministerial talks here
between
The pressure on
for the inclusion of the issue on the agenda
of the meeting of foreign
ministers from the two continents beginning
Wednesday on the resort island of
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
warned at the weekend that
Nations (ASEAN) if its military junta
defies world pressure to release Aung
San Suu Kyi.
Annan's special envoy on
"is not too
optimistic" about an early release, according to a delegate to the
Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) here.
Razali expressed his pessimism during a
recent meeting in
permanent representatives to the UN from several
key Asian and European
countries and the
"Mr Razali indicated that the UN Secretary-General
will consider the
possibility of including
there is no immediate resolution to the
problem," the delegate told AFP.
The
detained. She was held after a junta-backed mob
attacked her supporters in
violence feared to have left dozens dead.
The international community has responded
angrily, with the
and European Union beefing up sanctions and
ASEAN issuing an unprecedented
call last month for her immediate release.
Diplomats said Razali, the only
independent person to have met Aung San Suu
Kyi since her detention, has also
underlined his concern on
and has urged the grouping to maintain its
strong advocacy and not be swayed
by what one official termed
deputy foreign minister U Khin Maung Win to
several Asian countries including
the ASEAN states to explain
During the trip to several ASEAN states,
the special envoy showed officials
photographs to back claims that Suu Kyi was detained
for her own safety, an
informed source said.
"They are playing the same old tune
and not offering anything new to bring
a quick resolution to the problem,"
the source said. "It is a show of
desperation but it is important to note at the same
time that
beginning to respond to pressure."
ASEAN pressure on
"Mahathir's notice of
there should also be strong pressure from the
other ASEAN states, especially
"
weight to move ASEAN," the diplomat said.
Officials said Indonesian Foreign Minister
Hassan Wirayuda had invited his
communication" between
"But the
pressed for the
talks," a source said.
"He was understandably worried he
will be the target of criticism."
Tuesday, said the
"new
developments in
He added Razali would not be attending the
Minister Surakiart Sathirathai had said
earlier Tuesday that Razali had been
invited by
ASEM's Asian side is made up of seven of
the 10 ASEAN members --
The 15 European Union members make up the
other side of the grouping.
ASEAN members
---------------------------------
by Ahmad Pathoni
NUSA DUA,
of
criticised the military-ruled nation for detaining
democracy icon Aung San Suu
Kyi, an official said Tuesday.
Only seven of the 10 members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) --
and
in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum.
Aside from
ASEM members.
The 15 European Union members, who make up
the other side of the ASEM
grouping, have objected to
San Suu Kyi.
"ASEAN's position is that we are
asking to include
foreign ministry official Retno Marsudi told
reporters.
"Our position is fully supported by
the northeast Asian countries (
She was speaking after chairing a meeting
of senior officials from the 10
Asian nations in
ministers' meeting beginning Wednesday.
Marsudi acknowledged
"we are
still discussing it.
"We are trying to find a solution and
the most important thing is
position is firm on this issue," she said.
Marsudi stressed that "there was no
problem" among the seven ASEAN members
as well as
and
The Europeans have asked for a special
session to debate the
The Asian side objects to a special
session.
----------------------------------
UN envoy backs Malaysian PM's
warning on Myanmar
the ASEAN grouping if the military junta
fails to release democracy activist
Aung San Suu Kyi won support from United
Nations special envoy Razali Ismail
Tuesday.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad's comments that an expulsion of
be a last resort showed that the situation
was "intolerable", Razali told AFP.
"The UN depends a lot on ASEAN to
take the necessary steps to try to get
Aung San Suu Kyi to be released and to
bring about democratic changes in
"The statement of the prime minister
makes clear that the situation is
intolerable.
"ASEAN is very embarrassed by one
member and ASEAN has the right to demand
standards of behaviour in terms of
governance," the former Malaysian diplomat
said.
"What the PM said will go down well
with other leaders in this area and it
will help towards moving the process in
freeing Aung San Suu Kyi."
He said Mahathir's statement, made in an
interview with AFP, made it clear
that he "is worried in the way it is
moving and there must be a time in which
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