Asean urges immediate ceasefire in

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Subject: Asean urges immediate ceasefire in Cambodia

Business Time July 9th




Asean urges immediate ceasefire in Cambodia

Special meeting of foreign ministers set for tomorrow 

[KUALA LUMPUR] 
T
he Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) yesterday called for 
an immediate ceasefire in Cambodia and urged the country's feuding prime 
ministers to settle their differences peacefully. 

The call came two days before Asean foreign ministers are to meet here 
to discuss the ongoing conflict which has left at least 15 people dead 
and dozens wounded in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. 

"Asean calls for an immediate ceasefire," said a joint statement 
released by the Malaysian government, current chairman of the 
seven-nation grouping, after consultations among member states. "Asean 
further calls on the two co-prime ministers, the first prime minister, 
Prince Ranariddh, and the second prime minister, Hun Sen, to resolve 
their differences peacefully." 

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday instructed the 
foreign ministry to study the possibility of a change in Asean's stand 
to admit Cambodia into the regional grouping. "We are asking our foreign 
ministry to discuss with the other Asean foreign ministries the 
possibility of a change," Mr Anwar was quoted as saying by Bernama news 
agency. 

Asean urged Prince Ranariddh and Mr Hun Sen "to abide by the terms of 
the Paris peace accord". The statement added Asean would carefully 
monitor the situation in Cambodia and convene a special meeting of 
foreign ministers here tomorrow to "review the situation in all its 
aspects". 

The meeting comes two weeks ahead of a scheduled meeting of Asean 
foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur, at which Cambodia, Burma and Laos are 
scheduled to be included in Asean. -- AFP 


"THERE WILL BE NO REAL DEMOCRACY IF WE CAN'T GURANTEE THE RIGHTS OF THE 
MINORITY ETHNIC PEOPLE.  ONLY UNDERSTANDING THEIR SUFFERING AND HELPING 
THEM TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS WILL ASSIST PREVENTING FROM THE 
DISINTEGRATION AND THE SESESSION."  "WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THEIR 
STRENGTH, WE CAN'T TOPPLE THE SLORC AND BURMA WILL NEVER BE IN PEACE."


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