ASEAN REJECTS U.S. ON BURMA'S ASEAN

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: ASEAN REJECTS U.S. ON BURMA'S ASEAN MEMBERSHIP

DATE=4/28/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-213494
TITLE=U-S / BURMA (L)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:    

INTRO:  ASIAN NATIONS ARE REJECTING THE CALL BY THE UNITED STATES
FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS NOT TO ADMIT BURMA
AS A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL ORGANIZATION.  VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY
THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.

TEXT: THE APPEAL BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF 
SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS, OR ASEAN, TO REJECT BURMA'S BID FOR FULL
MEMBERSHIP APPEARS TO HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS.

MEMBER STATES ARE SAYING BURMA'S MEMBERSHIP HAS ALREADY BEEN 
DECIDED AND IS NONE OF THE UNITED STATES' BUSINESS.  MALAYSIA 
MONDAY LASHED OUT AT THE U-S LOBBYING EFFORT AGAINST BURMA'S 
MEMBERSHIP AS "COMPLETELY UNTENABLE."  VIETNAM SAID ANY COUNTRY 
WHICH APPLIES PRESSURE TO BAR BURMA FROM ASEAN HARMS IT OWN 
IMAGE.  THAILAND, ALONG WITH OTHER ASEAN NATIONS, SAYS BURMA'S 
MEMBERSHIP BID WILL NOT BE DERAILED BY WASHINGTON'S LOBBYING 
EFFORTS.

 BURMA IS EXPECTED TO BE ADMITTED ALONG WITH LAOS AND CAMBODIA, 
AT A MEETING IN JULY TO COINCIDE WITH ASEAN'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY.

ASEAN -- WHICH CURRENTLY IS COMPRISED OF THAILAND, SINGAPORE, 
MALAYSIA, VIETNAM, BRUNEI, INDONESIA AND THE PHILIPPINES -- HAS 
STAKED OUT A POLICY OF "CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT" WITH BURMA.  
THEIR POLICY IS THAT A COUNTRY'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS ARE ITS OWN 
BUSINESS AND THAT DIALOGUE WITH BURMA WILL DO MORE TO BRING ABOUT
CHANGE THAN ISOLATION.

// OPT //  THAI FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN SURAPONG JAYANAMA SAYS 
NO COUNTRY CAN BE OBLIVIOUS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN BURMA. 
NEVERTHELESS, HE SAYS, THE DECISION ON BURMA'S ASEAN MEMBERSHIP 
HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE.

                                // SURAPONG ACT // 

 AS FAR AS MYANMAR, OR BURMA'S MEMBERSHIP INTO ASEAN, THAT IS 
SOMETHING THAT IS A POLITICAL DECISION.  IT WAS MADE ALREADY LAST
NOVEMBER, AT THE ASEAN INFORMAL SUMMIT IN JAKARTA, AS YOU KNOW, 
AS YOU ARE AWARE OF, MEANING THAT ASEAN WILL ACCEPT BURMA, LAOS, 
AND CAMBODIA, THE THREE OF THEM TOGETHER CONCURRENTLY.           
                 


           // END ACT //

THAI PRIME MINISTER CHAVALIT YONGCHAIYUDH IS TO BEGIN A THREE-DAY
OFFICIAL VISIT TO BURMA BEGINNING SATURDAY.  // END OPT //

THE HIGHEST-RANKING U-S DIPLOMAT IN BURMA, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES KENT
WIEDEMANN, SAYS THE CALL TO REJECT BURMA'S ASEAN MEMBERSHIP BID 
IS NOT AIMED AT ASEAN ITSELF.  NEVERTHELESS, HE SAYS, BRINGING 
BURMA INTO THE REGIONAL ORGANIZATION WILL CREATE SOME AWKWARDNESS
IN U-S / ASEAN RELATIONS.

                                // WIEDEMANN ACT // 

 YES, IT WILL BE MORE COMPLICATED.  UP UNTIL NOW WE HAVE NOT HAD 
THE ANOMALY OF A VERY UNSTABLE AUTHORITARIAN ALL-PERVASIVE 
MILITARY DICTATORSHIP WITHIN THE RANKS OF ASEAN.  SO OUR 
DISCUSSIONS AT SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETINGS AND SUMMIT AND THE LIKE 
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN QUITE SMOOTH AND PRODUCTIVE.  HAVING BURMA AT 
THE TABLE WOULD PROSPECTIVELY, AS I SAY, BE VERY AWKWARD AND 
CREATE SOME REAL PROBLEMS FOR US.  I DON'T THINK ONE COULD SAY 
EXACTLY WHAT THOSE PROBLEMS MIGHT BE, BUT IT IS OF A BIT OF 
CONCERN TO US, AND I THINK, OF SOME CONCERN TO THE ASEAN 
COUNTRIES TOO.      

                                // END ACT //

BURMA'S GENERALS HAVE SHRUGGED OFF THE U-S SANCTIONS, SAYING THEY
WILL NOT DETER OTHER FOREIGN INVESTMENT, ESPECIALLY FROM ASIA.  
ASIAN STATES, LED BY SINGAPORE, ARE BURMA'S BIGGEST FOREIGN 
INVESTORS.  (SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/FC