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ANALYSIS-ASEAN-EU ties tested by My



Subject: ANALYSIS-ASEAN-EU ties tested by Myanmar 

ANALYSIS-ASEAN-EU ties tested by Myanmar
06:11 a.m. Mar 17, 1999 Eastern
By Nick Edwards

SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Myanmar may have emerged as a major test of
relations between the European Union (EU) and Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) but the issue will cause no long term damage, experts said
on Tuesday.

The scheduled March 30 meeting in Berlin of foreign ministers from the two
blocs looks certain to be scrapped because of a row over Myanmar's
participation, but the frantic efforts to save it underline the importance
both sides place on the relationship.

``We feel very strongly that this is an important meeting and we want it to
go ahead and find a way around this. The meeting is a very important forum
to exchange ideas. To lose that would be very unfortunate,'' an Asia-based
European diplomat told Reuters.

The fate of the meeting appeared to have been sealed on Tuesday when ASEAN
secretary general, Rodolfo Severino said foreign ministers from the
nine-member group would not meet EU counterparts without Myanmar's foreign
minister Win Aung.

EU nations will not grant entry visas to high ranking Myanmar officials
because of the country's human rights record and would prevent his
attendance at the meeting.

The issue has been a sticking point since Yangon joined ASEAN 18 months ago
and diplomats have searched in vain for a solution.

``There are hardline opinions on both sides. ASEAN will not compromise on
Myanmar's participation and the EU will not compromise its stance on human
rights. It's a stalemate,'' said John Avila, political economist at Manila's
Centre for Research and Communications.

Western diplomats had hoped the answer had been found with a deal they
proposed for an EU troika, representing all 15 members, to meet a delegation
from ASEAN representing its nine members on the sidelines of a separate
meeting of European and Asian ministers.

It would facilitate high level negotiations on behalf of both blocs but
sidestep the conflict.

Severino said that view had not been accepted by ASEAN.

``I don't think that was the ASEAN interpretation of a troika meeting with
some ASEAN foreign ministers,'' Severino said. ``I guess it's a diplomatic
device but it's not the ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting -- it can't be.''

Analysts doubted that failure to find a compromise would harm relations in
the long term.


``Things will just go on as normal. Trade and investments will not be
affected by this,'' Singapore-based political scientist Lee Lai To said.
``But the meetings are important because the signals and symbolism they send
out expedite progress and cooperation.''

Avila said other mechanisms such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) -- set to
take place immediately prior to the jeopardised ASEAN-EU meeting -- and the
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum offered alternative, high
level meeting grounds.

``If you look at things that way, then this is no problem at all,'' he said,
adding that most diplomatic preparation efforts had shifted to ASEM which
embraces China, Japan and South Korea.

The change in diplomatic emphasis might indicate that the ASEAN-EU
dialogue -- ASEAN's oldest dialogue partnership and essentially an economic
one -- may be less relevant as economic globalisation gathers pace.

``APEC and ASEM are at a much higher level and there's more chance of
substantive progress there,'' Avila said, adding that it would be a shame to
see an end of independent ASEAN-EU talks.

Both sides would be reluctant to see the dialogue lost.

``It's a relationship that has endured for many, many years and it's very
sad to see it being dragged through the doldrums because of this issue,''
the diplomat said.

But his expecation of the Berlin meeting happening was low.

``It's hard to see any solution which is going to reconcile what appear to
be irreconcible views on either side,'' he said.

Severino was pragmatic in his outlook: ``We'll continue to have relations
with the EU in whatever form it is possible to take. We'll have to work on
it, although I don't know about it being the low point. We will have to see
where we go from here.''


Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior
written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or
delays in the content, or for any actions takeANALYSIS-ASEAN-EU ties tested
by Myanmar
06:11 a.m. Mar 17, 1999 Eastern
By Nick Edwards

SINGAPORE, March 17 (Reuters) - Myanmar may have emerged as a major test of
relations between the European Union (EU) and Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) but the issue will cause no long term damage, experts said
on Tuesday.

The scheduled March 30 meeting in Berlin of foreign ministers from the two
blocs looks certain to be scrapped because of a row over Myanmar's
participation, but the frantic efforts to save it underline the importance
both sides place on the relationship.

``We feel very strongly that this is an important meeting and we want it to
go ahead and find a way around this. The meeting is a very important forum
to exchange ideas. To lose that would be very unfortunate,'' an Asia-based
European diplomat told Reuters.

The fate of the meeting appeared to have been sealed on Tuesday when ASEAN
secretary general, Rodolfo Severino said foreign ministers from the
nine-member group would not meet EU counterparts without Myanmar's foreign
minister Win Aung.


EU nations will not grant entry visas to high ranking Myanmar officials
because of the country's human rights record and would prevent his
attendance at the meeting.

The issue has been a sticking point since Yangon joined ASEAN 18 months ago
and diplomats have searched in vain for a solution.

``There are hardline opinions on both sides. ASEAN will not compromise on
Myanmar's participation and the EU will not compromise its stance on human
rights. It's a stalemate,'' said John Avila, political economist at Manila's
Centre for Research and Communications.

Western diplomats had hoped the answer had been found with a deal they
proposed for an EU troika, representing all 15 members, to meet a delegation
from ASEAN representing its nine members on the sidelines of a separate
meeting of European and Asian ministers.

It would facilitate high level negotiations on behalf of both blocs but
sidestep the conflict.

Severino said that view had not been accepted by ASEAN.

``I don't think that was the ASEAN interpretation of a troika meeting with
some ASEAN foreign ministers,'' Severino said. ``I guess it's a diplomatic
device but it's not the ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting -- it can't be.''

Analysts doubted that failure to find a compromise would harm relations in
the long term.

``Things will just go on as normal. Trade and investments will not be
affected by this,'' Singapore-based political scientist Lee Lai To said.
``But the meetings are important because the signals and symbolism they send
out expedite progress and cooperation.''

Avila said other mechanisms such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) -- set to
take place immediately prior to the jeopardised ASEAN-EU meeting -- and the
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum offered alternative, high
level meeting grounds.

``If you look at things that way, then this is no problem at all,'' he said,
adding that most diplomatic preparation efforts had shifted to ASEM which
embraces China, Japan and South Korea.

The change in diplomatic emphasis might indicate that the ASEAN-EU
dialogue -- ASEAN's oldest dialogue partnership and essentially an economic
one -- may be less relevant as economic globalisation gathers pace.

``APEC and ASEM are at a much higher level and there's more chance of
substantive progress there,'' Avila said, adding that it would be a shame to
see an end of independent ASEAN-EU talks.

Both sides would be reluctant to see the dialogue lost.

``It's a relationship that has endured for many, many years and it's very
sad to see it being dragged through the doldrums because of this issue,''
the diplomat said.

But his expecation of the Berlin meeting happening was low.

``It's hard to see any solution which is going to reconcile what appear to
be irreconcible views on either side,'' he said.

Severino was pragmatic in his outlook: ``We'll continue to have relations
with the EU in whatever form it is possible to take. We'll have to work on
it, although I don't know about it being the low point. We will have to see
where we go from here.''


Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior

written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or
delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

n in reliance thereon.