Singapore daily says ASEAN faces to

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Subject: Singapore daily says ASEAN faces tough            decision over Burma's admission

Singapore daily says ASEAN faces tough
           decision over Burma's admission

           SINGAPORE, April 30 (AFP) - ASEAN faces a tough decision over the
           admission of Burma, but what will finally tilt the balance is the
grouping's
           determination not to be dictated to by the West, Singapore's leading
           newspaper said Wednesday.

           "Myanmar's admission to the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations is a
           delicate issue for the grouping," commented The Straits Times,
which often
           reflects official thinking.

           Myanmar is the official name of army-ruled Burma, condemned by
the United
           States and Western Europe for widespread human rights abuses.

           Washington, which slapped a ban on US investments in Burma last
week, is
           trying to persuade ASEAN to turn down the nation's bid to join the
           organisation over its "woeful" human rights performance.

           In an editorial, the Straits Times said ASEAN 's policy of
"constructive
           engagement" towards Burma and the effectiveness of American
sanctions was
           not in question.

           "The real question is whether the world is ready for an ASEAN
with Myanmar
           as a member," the newspaper said.

           "It has arisen because of the the hardline positions against
Myanmar taken by
           the United States and Western Europe.

           "The delicacy of the issue stems not least from ASEAN's adherence
to the
           principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other
countries.

           "Against that must be weighed the likelihood of European and
American refusal
           to get any closer to any grouping that has Myanmar as one of its
members."

           ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
           Thailand and Vietnam. Awaiting simultaneous admission are Burma,
Cambodia
           and Laos.

           ASEAN foreign ministers are due to meet in May to discuss the
timing of the
           admittance, expected to be in July or September, which would
realise the
           group's ambition for a 10-nation ASEAN in its 30th anniversary year. 

           The Straits Times editorial set out arguments both for and
against Burma's
           admission, then added: "In the end, what will tilt the balance of
arguments is
           ASEAN's determination not to be dictated by the West."

           "However, it does not need to be said that the ruling State Law
and Order
           Restoration Council's actions against its opponents have not made
matters any
           easier for ASEAN," the daily said.

           "While ASEAN has no desire to dictate the pace of political
change there,
           there was hope that political and social accommodation in Myanmar
would
           follow from the grouping's accommodating attitude towards it, an
attitude which
           carries a political cost.

           "The absence of reciprocity thus far is regrettable," it said.