Rangoon Gives Up Asean Chair

[george]

Rangoon gives up Asean chair

Philippines prepared to take over the role

VIENTIANE: -- Burma yesterday finally gave up its right to take up the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) next year, saving the regional body from Western boycotts of its meetings.

Rangoon needs to focus on constitution drafting and the election process, a statement said.

However, critics said Asean could not afford to ignore the Burma issue and must push for real political change in the military-ruled country and for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, which was not mentioned in Asean's statement.

The announcement was made after a morning retreat by this year's chairman Lao Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavat with the presence of all Asean's ministers.

``Burma had to relinquish its turn to be the chair of Asean in 2006 because it would want to focus its attention on the on-going national reconciliation and democratisation process,'' Mr Somsavat read from a prepared statement.

Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win said that 2006 would be a critical year and his government wanted to give its full attention to the process, started in 1996, so as to finish it next year. He also said Rangoon remained committed to completing its widely discredited, seven-step ``roadmap to democracy'', unveiled in August 2003 by Khin Nyunt, the then prime minister who has since been removed.

``We have to draft the National Constitution and then we have to make a referendum and after that we will make free and fair elections,'' he said without mentioning timeframes or Mrs Suu Kyi, although other Asean ministers indicated that it would be next year.

Philippine Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo said Manila was prepared to take over the chairmanship from Burma.

Mr Somsavat said Asean agreed that once Burma was ready to take its turn to be the Asean chair, it could do so.

Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said it was a good decision as reconciliation was at an important stage and Rangoon should not be distracted from other issues.

``It will be a happy conclusion as they will have a constitution, referendum on the new constitution, and hopefully the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, and then the election. Once Burma completes this process, they can come back and take their turn in line. They won't have to wait another 10 years,'' Mr Kantathi said.

On the release of Mrs Suu Kyi, Mr Kantathi said it was widely understood that the Burmese process should conform to international standards, which would include the release of opposition leader Mrs Suu Kyi.

``Burma was mindful and they knew what was right for Burma and what was right for Asean,'' he said.

However, Kraisak Choonhaven, chairman of the Senate committee for foreign affairs, said Asean should not just stop, but should now push towards a definite timeframe for democratisation. If it could not deliver, Asean ought to defer Burma's membership, he said.

``The decision announced shows delicate diplomacy is working in Asean, and I'm happy to see the Philippines take over the chairmanship. However, this does not mean that Burma can now do nothing or not shoulder political reform. Rather, they should make the commitment and deliver it,'' he said.

San Aung, a spokesman for the rebel National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), said in a telephone interview that the next step should be that Asean leaders seek assurances that there was a proper plan to achieve real political change in Burma.

The so-called Troika mechanism, which had worked successfully to establish peace in Cambodia, should now be applied in Burma as there is a solid ground for Asean intervention since the military government has created so many problems for the region, Mr San Aung said in Bangkok.

Asean has been trying to tease political reforms out of Rangoon's generals through ``constructive engagement''.

Europe and the US, on the other hand, have favoured sanctions in an attempt to restore multi-party civilian government to Burma, which has been under military rule since a 1962 coup.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-27

[WhiteShiva]

Rangoon gives up Asean chair

Philippines prepared to take over the role

VIENTIANE: -- Burma yesterday finally gave up its right to take up the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) next year, saving the regional body from Western boycotts of its meetings.

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Ah - finally some good news!!!

[Camelot]

Wonder what the deal (or quid pro quo) was?

Must have been quite a sweetener.

[Sphere]

Wonder what the deal (or quid pro quo) was?

Must have been quite a sweetener.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Guess they get to keep Suu Kyi for another 50 years or so!