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CURBS AGAINST MYANMAR UNWORKABLE



          CURBS AGAINST MYANMAR UNWORKABLE
         **********************************

By V. Jayanth
BANGKOK, April 28. The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr.
Ali Alatas, made it clear today that economic sanctions
against Myanmar were "unworkable" and the American move
would in no way affect or impact a decision by the
Asean to admit are country into its fold.

In an informal chat with journalists at the ESCAP
conference here, the Indonesian Minister said that a
May 31 meeting of Asean Foreign Ministers was likely to
decide on the timing of the admission. Asean leaders
had decided to simultaneously admit Cambodia, Laos and
Myanmar into the regional grouping and the Foreign
Ministers would now look at the timing, based on their
preparedness to meet the obligations.

Mr. Alatas said, "We know they have been trying to do
this for some time. We have been trying to convince
them that the Asean approach of constructive engagement
is the better approach and not the Western or American
approach of isolation.  Myanmar has isolated itself for
such a long time. It is not presumptuous on our part to
say that the Asean knows better about our region and
how to manage better its peace, development and
security".

He was hopeful that any decision by the Asean to admit
Myanmar would not affect its ties with the U.S. "We
have many common interests between the U.S. and the
Asean as a whole. And I hope they will not be affected
because of this," he added.

The Foreign Minister said, in response to a question,
"We have been closely following the developments in
Cambodia. We have been assured that things are being
worked out. After all, Cambodia has gone through a long
period of war and instability. I don't think it is easy
to have a very stable situation in that country so
soon. We are sure the leadership in Cambodia will
overcome these difficulties in transition", he
explained.

Answering questions, Mr. Alatas said the Asean Foreign
Ministers would look into the report of the Asean
Secretary General and the Economic Ministers on the
preparations by the three countries to join the group.

He said Cambodia and Laos needed more preparations and
time because of the state of their economies. Myanmar
was somewhat more prepared because it was part of many
global and multilateral fora, including the WTO. As in
the case of Vietnam, which was given time till 2006 to
integrate fully with the Asean Free Trade Area that
becomes functional from 2003, the group would be
flexible in the case of these three countries . They
would be given up to 10 years from the date of their
joining the Asean to fall in line completely.

He inadvertently said 2008 at first, indicating that
the three countries could be admitted in 1998. But then
corrected himself, after consulting a senior official,
that it would be 19 years from the date of admission.

Whatever the entry date, it has become clear that the
U.S. decision to clamp sanctions on the military junta
in Myanmar has really isolated Washington and not
Yangoon. The appeal by the U.S. State Department
spokesperson to the Asean to defer any decision on
admitting Myanmar into its fold, has fallen on deaf
ears. Most of the Asean countries have rallied in
support of the neighbour and reiterated their resolve
to achieve the Asean-10 vision as soon as possible.

The Prime Ministers of Malaysia, Thailand, Dr. Mahathir
Mohamad and Gen, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, have spoken out
in support of Myanmar's admission.

The Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, Thailand and the
Philippines have expressed their commitment to admit
the remaining three countries in the region as soon as
they are prepared to join. And the Foreign Ministries
of Singapore and Vietnam issued statements defending
the Asean policy of constructive engagement and
politely rejecting Washington's call for sanctions or
isolation of Myanmar.

All these have certainly strengthened the hands of the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which
has declared in a comment that the American move has
"backfired". They initially accused the U.S. of trying
to "derail" the process of Myanmar's admission into
Asean. But once Southeast Asia rallied behind them, the
Junta found it easier to counter Washington and mock at
its sanctions.

The Asean appears convinced that the policy of
sanctions cannot work now, and especially so in the
case of Myanmar. Since its economy is not that deeply
plugged into the global economy ant that too to the
West, these sanctions can hardly have any impact. The
group wants to press ahead with its engagement and
diplomatically push for more reforms and openness in
Government, gradually 'at a pace comfortable to all' is
the jargon they use.

As the Malaysian Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdullah Badawi,
explains "We see the membership of Myanmar in the Asean
from various angles strategic and growth of the region.
It should be brought  into the regional organisation.
We hope through our relations, we can bring change to
benefit the people." He made it equally clear that the
group was not seeking to pick a quarrel with any
country on this question, because it was essentially an
Asean decision and they knew the problem better than
the U.S.

Analysts and diplomats in Bangkok say that the U.S.
attempt to delay or put on hold the Asean's decision to
admit Myanmar, may have failed. "Judging by the timing
of the announcement by Washington, we see no other
objective except to tell the Asean that the time is not
ripe to take Myanmar on board. But the sanctions can
only force the Asean to go ahead and admit the three
members at least by 1998 even if the three   economies
are not fully ready to integrate with the dynamic
neighborhood. There are bound to be problems and
difficulties in handling their integrations", they
said.


   EU TO EXTEND SANCTIONS
  *************************

LUXEMBOURG,April 28. European Union sanctions against
Myanmar, aimed at forcing the country's military rulers
to stop human rights abuses, will be extended for a
further six months here tomorrow, diplomats said.

The move, to be approved by EU Foreign Ministers,
reflects growing frustration among EU Government with
the ruling State Law and Order Council's refusal to
open negotiations with the Opposition Leader, Ms. Aung
San Suu Kyi. At the insistence of Denmark, the
Ministers will discuss the situation in Myanmar in the
wake of the United States' decision this past week to
ban new investment in the southeast Asian nation. An
early decision to follow U.S. lead is not, however,
expected.

Britain, the biggest Foreign investor in Myanmar, has
yet to reach position on the issue France and Germany
have also expressed reluctance in the past to impose
economic sanctions.
----(AFP)

News and Information Bureau All Burma Students League.
(END).