THE NATION: Myanmar to be left out

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Myanmar to be left out of Asia-Europe meeting

posted at 19:50 hrs (Bangkok time) 

NASUGBU, Philippines, March 22 -- Myanmar will not be included in the forthcoming
Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) despite moves by some ASEAN members in that direction, it was
announced here Sunday. 

Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Lauro Baja, who chairs a meeting of senior ASEAN officers in
this town outside Manila, said the moratorium on new participants in this year's ASEM meeting
would be observed, effectively blocking out Myanmar. 

''There is a moratorium (on new participants) while the question of membership will be discussed.
There was an agreement that (there will be) no new members of ASEM,'' in the meeting which
starts in London on April 2. 

Baja said they were considering issuing a statement on ''the financial situation'' in East Asia at
ASEM. 

Earlier, ASEAN secretary-general Rodolfo Severino said the ASEAN senior officers' meeting
would discuss preparations for ASEAN ministerial meetings and summits as well as the ASEM. 

Asked if the officers would look at Myanmar's possible attendance at ASEM, Severino said ''we're
working on that.'' 

Philippine Assistant Foreign Secretary Juanito Jarasa had also said Myanmar's participation in
ASEM would be discussed in the meeting. 

He added Thailand was taking the lead on this issue. 

Severino admitted ASEAN members would decide to take part in the ASEM meet individually and
not as a group, leaving it up to each country to decide what action to take. 

The senior officials meeting, which was in its second day Sunday, has focused on preparations of
meetings with ASEAN dialogue partners like China, Japan, Russia and the United States. 

European nations have shunned official contacts with Myanmar citing its poor human rights record
and are unlikely to allow officials from Yangon to take part in the ASEM meeting. 

Since Myanmar joined ASEAN last year, however, the regional grouping has pushed for its
inclusion in all meetings involving ASEAN members. 

Meanwhile, Britain reportedly hinted earlier it may allow Yangon to send envoys to informal
meetings between the EU and ASEAN. 

Aside from Myanmar, ASEAN, the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, includes Brunei,
Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (AFP)