Reuters : Australia urges Myanmar t

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Australia urges Myanmar to tackle political reform 
12:10 a.m. Jul 26, 1998 Eastern 

MANILA, July 26 (Reuters) - Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
expressed serious concerns on Sunday over the lack of political reform in
Myanmar, where a military junta has long suppressed pro-democracy
campaigners. 

Downer told a news conference that he had held talks early on Sunday in
Manila with Myanmar Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw. 

He told reporters: ``It was an opportunity to express the Australian
government's serious concerns about the lack of political progress in
Burma, the lack of constitutional evolution, the lack of a dialogue between
the National League for Democracy and the government, the SPDC (State Peace
and Development Council), and the concerns about human rights in Burma.'' 

He said he had suggested to the Myanmar minister that his country follow
Indonesia's example and set up an independent national human rights
commission. 

The Indonesian commission, set up by former president Suharto, had been an
important organisation in terms of monitoring human rights in the country,
he said. 

``I made the point to Ohn Gyaw that I thought that such an organisation in
Burma would be a very useful step forward and I am glad to be able to say
that he did not respond in a negative way to that particular proposal, so
we will be following that up with Burma in the months ahead,'' Downer
added. 

He expressed disappointment with the slow pace of political reform in
Myanmar, where the military government suppressed a pro-democracy movement
with heavy loss of life in 1988. 

The NLD, led by Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, swept the last
general election in May 1990 but the military ignored the results. 

``I was told that the constitutional reform process was going ahead inch by
inch.'' Downer said. ``It seemed to me a fairly appropriate way of putting
it. I made the point that over the last 12 months since I met Ohn Gyaw in
Kuala Lumpur...nothing seemed to have happened.'' 

Downer said the nine-member Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN), which admitted Myanmar last year, was concerned about the
political situation there. 

``I know that many in ASEAN are anxious to see a focus on Burma because
they know that the problems in Burma are causing difficulties for ASEAN as
a whole, for example in the context of ASEAN's dialogue with the European
Union. 

``That is constrained, inhibited by the problems in Burma because of the
European Union's stand against Burma. 

``So there is a problem for ASEAN and they know it's a problem and they're
worried about it. I think it is fair to say that many of the ASEAN
countries are doing their best to try to encourage the SPDC to take things
forward, as are we. 

``What is disappointing is that so far not a lot seems to be happening.''