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AFP-Australian FM calls for change



Subject: AFP-Australian FM calls for change in Myanmar

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Tuesday, November 16 7:13 PM SGT=20
Australian FM calls for change in Myanmar
BANGKOK, Nov 16 (AFP) -=20
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer called for political reform =
in Myanmar Tuesday, as he arrived in Thailand ahead of two days of talks =
on economics and regional security.

"Australia's perspective is that we want to see political liberalisation =
in Burma (Myanmar) and a lot of the long-standing constitutional =
questions there resolved," he said.

Downer's strategy on military-ruled Myanmar has come under attack in =
recent months after it emerged Australia had started tentative talks =
with the junta aimed at establishing a human rights commission.

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was angered that people imagined =
they could work with the junta to improve human rights.

"It's a bit like asking the fox to look after the chicken," she told =
AFP.

Downer has defended the plan as a means of engaging the junta, which is =
accused of perpetrating forced labour, rape and torture, on human rights =
violations.

On Wednesday, Downer is due to join his Thai counterpart Surin Pitsuwan =
and Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchapkdi at the city of Nakhon Si =
Thammarat in southern Thailand.

The talks take place a week ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian =
Nations informal summit in Manila which is likely to see discussion of =
the Myanmar issue and the fate of East Timor which voted for =
independence from Indonesian on August 30.

Downer praised Thailand, the current head of ASEAN's policy making =
reginal forum, for its efforts to enhance the organisation's role.

"Dr Surin is determined to ensure the ASEAN regional forum continues to =
progress and that it evolve to more than just a talking shop," he said.

He also hailed Thailand's role as second in command of the =
Australian-led multi-national peaceforce for East Timor (Interfet)=20

"Thailand has also demonstrated its enthusiasm to support regional =
security by participating in the international force in East Timor," he =
said.

Australian Ambassador William Fisher Tuesday said the forum would =
solidify already close ties between Thailand and Australia.

"There is a very strong partnership between Australia and Thailand =
across so many areas in trade and foreign policy and the MEC is an =
important forum to advance our cooperation," he said.=20

Australian trade minister, Mark Vaile, will also attend the meeting, =
along with senior foreign, commerce and agriculture officials as well as =
business delegations from both countries.

"They are focusing on the big bilateral picture between Thailand and =
Australia -- economics, social issues, everything," said an embassy =
spokesman.


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV>Tuesday, November 16 7:13 PM SGT </DIV>
<DIV>Australian FM calls for change in Myanmar<BR>BANGKOK, Nov 16 (AFP) =
-=20
<BR>Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer called for political =
reform in=20
Myanmar Tuesday, as he arrived in Thailand ahead of two days of talks on =

economics and regional security.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Australia's perspective is that we want to see political =
liberalisation in=20
Burma (Myanmar) and a lot of the long-standing constitutional questions =
there=20
resolved," he said.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Downer's strategy on military-ruled Myanmar has come under attack =
in recent=20
months after it emerged Australia had started tentative talks with the =
junta=20
aimed at establishing a human rights commission.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was angered that people =
imagined they=20
could work with the junta to improve human rights.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"It's a bit like asking the fox to look after the chicken," she =
told=20
AFP.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Downer has defended the plan as a means of engaging the junta, =
which is=20
accused of perpetrating forced labour, rape and torture, on human rights =

violations.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>On Wednesday, Downer is due to join his Thai counterpart Surin =
Pitsuwan and=20
Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchapkdi at the city of Nakhon Si =
Thammarat=20
in southern Thailand.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>The talks take place a week ahead of the Association of Southeast =
Asian=20
Nations informal summit in Manila which is likely to see discussion of =
the=20
Myanmar issue and the fate of East Timor which voted for independence =
from=20
Indonesian on August 30.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Downer praised Thailand, the current head of ASEAN's policy making =
reginal=20
forum, for its efforts to enhance the organisation's role.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Dr Surin is determined to ensure the ASEAN regional forum =
continues to=20
progress and that it evolve to more than just a talking shop," he =
said.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>He also hailed Thailand's role as second in command of the =
Australian-led=20
multi-national peaceforce for East Timor (Interfet) </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"Thailand has also demonstrated its enthusiasm to support regional =
security=20
by participating in the international force in East Timor," he =
said.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Australian Ambassador William Fisher Tuesday said the forum would =
solidify=20
already close ties between Thailand and Australia.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"There is a very strong partnership between Australia and Thailand =
across=20
so many areas in trade and foreign policy and the MEC is an important =
forum to=20
advance our cooperation," he said. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Australian trade minister, Mark Vaile, will also attend the =
meeting, along=20
with senior foreign, commerce and agriculture officials as well as =
business=20
delegations from both countries.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>"They are focusing on the big bilateral picture between Thailand =
and=20
Australia -- economics, social issues, everything," said an embassy=20
spokesman.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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