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West assails Burma's entry into ASE



Subject: West assails Burma's entry into ASEAN

West assails Burma's entry into ASEAN
By David Thurbor

KUALA LU.MPUR: Western nations on Sunday criticised the slow pace of
democratic reforms in Burma, as Sjuth-East asian played host to an
annual security forum on the region.

Senior officials attending closeddoor talks of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations regional forum said the United States,
Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Australia ail criticised Burma's lack
of progress in restoring human rights and democracy.

"We have been disappointed at the pace of reform," Australian foreign
minister Alexander Downer told reporters.

ASEAN admitted Burma as a member of the nine-nation organization on
Wednesday despite Western opposition, saying that "constructive
engagement' rather than isolation would encourage Burma to speed up
reforms.

But US secretary of state Madeleine Albright warned that Burma's
admission could create a split in ASEAN between 'one part that is open,
integrated and prospering, and another that is closed, isolated and
poor."

She urged ASEAN to use its contacts with Burma to encourage it to move
towards concrete polilical change.

"Now, more than ever, Burma's problems need an ASEAN solution,' she
said. 

Specifically, the Western countries said Burma should speed up the
drafting of a new constitution, release political prisoners and resume
talks with pro-dernocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burmese foreign minister Ohn Gyaw sat silently during the criticisms on
Sunday morning, and during dinner on Saturday night when similar
comments were made, said Jacques Poos, Luxembourg's foreign minister and
EU representative.

The main topic of discussion on Saturday night was the post-coup
situation in Cambodia, with the Western nations agreeing that ASEAN
should take the lead in consultations with coup leader Hun Sen aimed at
restoring political stability.

"It's entirely appropriate that ASEAN take this forward," Mr Downer
said.

He said Australia and several other countries that provide aid to
Cambodia have discussed but so far have made no decision on using aid as
leverage in pressuring Hun Sen. Cambodia depends on foreign aid for more
than half its national budget.

The United States already has suspended $35 million in Cambodian aid.

But Japan, the country's largest aid donor, told Cambodia's foreign
minister on Saturday that it will continue i ts aid because of a promise
by Hun Sen to restore political normaley. (AP)