VOA-Win Aung visit ASEAN

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DATE=2/16/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245563
TITLE=BURMA / E-U (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  BURMA'S FOREIGN MINISTER IS ON A TOUR OF FELLOW MEMBER  STATES OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS.  EXPECTED  TO BE DISCUSSED IS A
SIMMERING DISPUTE OVER BURMA, BETWEEN ASEAN  AND THE EUROPEAN UNION, THAT
THREATENS TO SCUTTLE AN E-U / ASEAN  FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING.  AS VOA
SOUTHEAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT  GARY THOMAS REPORTS, EFFORTS TO REACH A
COMPROMISE HAVE SO FAR  BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.

TEXT:  AS BURMA'S FOREIGN MINISTER WIN AUNG TALKS WITH FELLOW
SOUTHEAST ASIAN OFFICIALS, GERMANY IS TALKING WITH EUROPEAN
GOVERNMENTS IN A DESPERATE BID TO HEAD OFF A COLLAPSE OF NEXT  MONTH'S E-U /
ASEAN MINISTERIAL MEETING.

A GERMAN EMBASSY SPOKESMAN IN BANGKOK SAYS IT IS DIFFICULT FOR  E-U FOREIGN
MINISTERS TO ACCEPT THE PRESENCE OF THEIR BURMESE  COUNTERPART AT THE E-U /
ASEAN MEETING, BECAUSE OF WHAT HE TERMED BURMA'S "UNSATISFACTORY" HUMAN
RIGHTS RECORD.  HE SAID BURMA HAS  TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT HE CALLS "SUBSTANTIAL
PROGRESS" ON HUMAN  RIGHTS.  ONLY THEN, HE ADDS, WILL SEVERAL COUNTRIES --
INCLUDING  BRITAIN, NORWAY, DENMARK, AND THE NETHERLANDS -- DROP THEIR
OBJECTIONS TO BURMA'S PARTICIPATION.

ASKED WHAT "SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS" MEANS, THE GERMAN SPOKESMAN  SAYS THAT IS
A JUDGMENT TO BE MADE BY THE CONCERNED EUROPEAN  GOVERNMENTS.  BUT HE ADDS
THAT THE RELEASE OF ONE POLITICAL  PRISONER IS NOT LIKELY TO SATISFY THAT
REQUIREMENT.

LAST WEEK, THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT RELEASED A DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST  SERVING A
20-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE, ON WHAT IT CALLED  "HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS."  SHE WAS
IMPRISONED IN 1993 FOR  DISTRIBUTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT LEAFLETS.

GERMANY CURRENTLY HOLDS THE REVOLVING PRESIDENCY OF THE E-U AND  IS HOST TO
THE E-U / ASEAN MEETING, SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 30TH IN  BERLIN.  THE EMBASSY
SPOKESMAN SAYS THAT AS PRESIDENT, GERMANY IS ANXIOUS FOR THE MEETING TO TAKE
PLACE AS PLANNED.

BUT THERE HAS SO FAR BEEN LITTLE PROGRESS TO REPORT ON A
COMPROMISE.  A BANGKOK NEWSPAPER QUOTES AN UNNAMED THAI FOREIGN  MINISTRY
OFFICIAL AS SAYING THAILAND IS NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE CHANCES FOR THE
MEETING.


THE DISPUTE FORCED THE CANCELLATION OF AN ASEAN / E-U SENIOR  OFFICIALS
MEETING IN BANGKOK LAST MONTH.

WITH ITS ADOPTED STANCE OF "NON-INTERFERENCE" IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF MEMBER
STATES, ASEAN AS A GROUP DOES NOT WANT HUMAN RIGHTS ON  AGENDA.   HOWEVER,
THAT VIEW VARIES AMONG INDIVIDUAL STATES.  BUT THE GERMAN SPOKESMAN SAYS THE
ASEAN / E-U DIALOGUE HAS ALWAYS  INCLUDED POLITICAL ISSUES, INCLUDING HUMAN
RIGHTS.

BURMESE FOREIGN MINISTER WIN AUNG HEADS FOR SINGAPORE THURSDAY,  ON A TOUR
THAT ALSO TAKES HIM TO THAILAND, INDONESIA, AND BRUNEI. SINGAPORE IS BURMA'S
BIGGEST TRADING PARTNER AND INVESTOR, AND  TRADE IS HIGH ON THE AGENDA. BUT
DIPLOMATIC ANALYSTS SAY THEY  EXPECT WIN AUNG TO ALSO DISCUSS THE ASEAN /
E-U DISPUTE.
(SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/FC

16-Feb-99 4:37 AM EST (0937 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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