Burma's obstinacy

ASEAN

A chink may yet be appearing in Burma's obstinacy

Writer: THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL

Published: 27/07/2009 at 12:00 AM

The Burma and North Korea issues have been in the spotlight at Asean meetings for more than a decade. The "issues" vary from meeting to meeting, depending on what is happening with these countries at the time.

Mostly, Burma would be brought up at the meetings because of its strong opposition to human rights within the country.

There seems to be no sustainable solution to the problems although the regime always tries to appease its Asean neighbours by releasing a number of political prisoners prior to the conferences.

The perennial barb, however, is the continued detention of the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now facing trial for an alleged violation of her house arrest rules after an American man swam across the river to her home.

Burma has given some hope to the international community by announcing a national reconciliation process and its peaceful transition to democracy, as envisaged in the seven-step road map to democracy, in particular the adoption of the State Constitution of 2008 by referendum which will lead to a general election next year. It will be the first national election after the regime refused the overwhelming victory of Ms Suu Kyi in 1990.

But without Ms Suu Kyi joining in the 2010 election, it will be worthless.

Asean's goal of becoming one community by 2015 is approaching and if the 2010 election in Burma fails, the hopes and dreams for all 10 Asean members to become a homogeneous community might remain just that - a dream.

A diplomat who attended the Asean meeting last week said the grouping's members conveyed to Burma that the atmosphere was not good and Burma had to do something to break its silence.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said that in this meeting, Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win learnt that "his country is a major factor in moving Asean forward".

"It is the duty of Asean and Burma to push the grouping together to become a community," Mr Kasit said.

For the first time, Asean asked Nyan Win to convey the sentiment to the Burmese leadership.

The action came after Asean foreign ministers felt concerned that their joint call for changes in Burma might not reach the ears of the Burmese leader Snr Gen Than Shwe.

Nobody can tell how receptive the Burmese leaders will be to what the outside world has been demanding. Many demands were made in the past but no actions were taken by the regime.

The many joint communiques of Asean and the chairman's statement from the Asean Plus Three - Japan, China and South Korea - as well as ARF throughout the years reaffirm that the Burmese government must hold a free, fair and inclusive election in 2010 in order to lay down a good foundation for future social and economic development.

They reiterated their calls for the Burmese government to immediately release all political prisoners, including Ms Suu Kyi to pave the way for genuine reconciliation and meaningful dialogue involving all parties.

"Asean ministers were afraid that the Burmese leader might choose to acknowledge only the positive reaction from Asean such as its welcoming of the recent visit of UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon or the thanks for Burma's cooperation in allowing outsiders to help its people after Cyclone Nargis," said a source who attended the meeting.

The source admitted the atmosphere in the meeting rooms was better than the past year as there was not any pressure on Burma.

"The atmosphere was full of cogency and pertinent to the real reason [of the need for change in Burma]. There were more frank discussions than in the past," the source said.

This was reflected in the offer of Asean and members of ARF to work with Burma to promote democracy, human rights and the well-being of her people. At the same time, it was hoped that Burma would also be responsive to the international community's concerns, according to Mr Kasit.

Nyan Win, however, told his Asean counterparts on Monday that pressure from the outside world and economic sanctions were hampering Burma's democratisation and development efforts.

According to the same source, Asean was in the process of persuading Burma to change its situation.

"Having Asean to help Burma in its democratisation is better than fighting it," the source said. This message was released during the ARF meeting in which the US also participated.

Mr Kasit emphasised that Asean members wanted to help one another and resolve internal problems within the bloc's family without recourse to the international community.

Asean's new approach towards Burma at this meeting is its ministers have agreed to take turns to engage the Burmese leadership soon and if the Burmese government would allow outsiders to observe its elections next year, Asean should be the first grouping to do so, the source said.

Asean is expected to receive a positive response from Burma before the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York in September where all Asean foreign ministers will gather, the source added.

If Asean is a pull factor for Burma, the US is working as a push one.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Burma to release Ms Suu Kyi in exchange for direct investment from the United States.

"If she were released, that would open up opportunities at least for my country to expand our relationship with Burma, including investments in Burma," she said.

Pornpimon Trichote, a Burmese expert, said she was not surprised at the US shift as new US President Barack Obama used to hint that the US policy towards Burma might change.

"The US might change some approaches towards Burma but its principles would remain the same. However, I believe Burma might not be in a hurry to reciprocate on what the US has to offer as the relationship of both countries has been estranged for a long time," she said, adding that Burma never cared for the US as it is friends with other powers like China, Russia and North Korea.

If things go according to plan, these push and pull factors could eventually help create more space to deal with Burma after the election next year, she said. "The US might face an impasse as the sanctions have produced nothing for many years. If it has not changed its position, it has nowhere to go," she said, adding it was likely condemnation of Burma will be softer after this.

(www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/20999/a-chink-may-yet-be-appearing-in-burma-obstinacy)

N.Korean allies join test protest

Local News

N.Korean allies join test protest

China, Russia share Asean's nuke concerns

Writer: ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT AND THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL

Published: 24/07/2009 at 12:00 AM

PHUKET : Russia and China have joined the US in pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions, following Pyongyang's recent ballistic missile tests.

Normally counting themselves as Pyongyang's allies, Russia and China expressed concern about the nuclear missile tests at the Asean Regional Forum yesterday.

The North Korean nuclear issue dominated security issues at talks held to wrap up the week-long meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The ARF urged North Korea to return to the six-party talks to end the regional nuclear threat, but North Korea immediately rejected the call.

The meeting also urged members of the United Nations to implement the UN Security Council's resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea.

The ARF would look at what it could do to promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said after the meeting.

Asean diplomatic sources said even Russia and China shared international concern about the issue.

But in a compromising note, China said it hoped sanctions against Pyongyang would not affect North Korean people, and that the six-nation talks could resume, the sources said.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said North Korea faced strong international opposition over its missile testing programme.

"There is no place to go for North Korea as they have no friends left," Mrs Clinton said.

"There is a convergence of views that we are prepared to work with North Korea, but that North Korea has to change its behaviour," she said.

But Ri Hung-sik, who led the North Korean delegation at the meeting, said Pyongyang would not return to the negotiating table until the US changed its anti-North Korea attitude.

The six-party talks comprise China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the US.

Earlier, North Korea downgraded its representative attending the ARF from ambassador-at-large Pak Kun-gwang to Mr Ri, who is director-general of the International Organisations Department. It was the third time Pyongyang had sent a low-level representative to the ARF since 2000.

North Korea's insistence its position should be reflected in the ARF statement forced participants to delay issuing it for two hours.

The ARF members also called for joint efforts to fight terrorists and said the July 17 hotel bombings in Jakarta were a reminder terrorism was still a threat to the region.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said in addressing the terrorism problem, people should avoid singling out any country, race, religion or ethnicity.

"If terrorism is associated with religion, it will create animosity," Mr Anifah said.

The meeting also pledged to promote democracy and human rights in Burma, Mr Kasit said.

Burma is under pressure to release National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners to pave the way for national reconciliation before the country holds general elections next year.

Source : bangkokpost.com

No more six-party talks : North Korea

No more six-party talks : North Korea

By Deutsch Presse Agentur

Phuket - North Korea on Thursday rejected any comprehensive solution to the threat posed by its nuclear programme and refused to return to international negotiations until the United States abandons its hostile attitude.

North Korea's roving ambassador Ri Hong Sik made the comments about the six-party talks to end North Korea's nuclear weapons programme at an impromptu press conference at Asia's main security meeting, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) Regional Forum, on the Thai island of Phuket.

"The US should abandon its hostile policy first," Ri said.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said it was unfortunate that North Korea had shown no willingness to pursue denuclearization at the forum.

"There is no place for North Korea to go," Clinton said. "They have no friends left to protect them from the international effort to move forward with denuclearization," she added.

North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and Burma's ongoing political instability were the centre of the talks on Phuket although the Burmese issue was clearly sidelined by Pyongyang's remarks.

Clinton even offered some rare words of praise to the military regime in Burma, also known as Burma, for its professed willingness to enforce a UN Security Council resolution that calls for an arms embargo on North Korea and the right to inspect any suspicious cargo from the country.

"We were gratified by Burma's statement announcing its intention to adhere to the UN resolution," Clinton said.

Earlier this week, the secretary of state expressed fears of North Korean-Burmese military cooperation, perhaps in nuclear weapons development.

"We know there has been cooperation between North Korea and Burma in the past and we are going to be vigilant that it does not occur in the future," Clinton added.

The Asean Regional Forum has drawn 26 foreign ministers to Phuket, 600 kilometres south of Bangkok.

Clinton met Wednesday with the foreign ministers from the other countries involved in the six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programme. The only country not to participate was North Korea itself, which is a member of the forum but refused to send its foreign minister to the annual meeting.

The forum issued a strong statement of support for the recent UN Security Council resolution on North Korea, whose nuclear programme is deemed one of the main threats to security in Asia.

The United States and its allies have offered economic incentives to Pyongyang in return for ending its nuclear ambitions.

The forum consists of Asean's 10 members as well as Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua Guinea, Russia, Sri Lanka, East Timor and the United States.

Asean consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Source : nationmultimedia.com

US Secretary of State called on Burma and North Korea

ASEAN TALKS

Suu Kyi must be freed : Clinton

By Kittipong Thavevong
The Nation
Published on July 23, 2009

North Korea urged to drop nuclear plans and return to six-party talks

Phuket - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday called on Burma to release pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi as a precondition for the normalisation of ties with the United States.

"It is important" for the world community, particularly Asean member countries, to "encourage the Burmese leadership to open up", she said.

The US hopes for a positive change in Burma but in the end it would be up to Asean to bring that about, she said.

Suu Kyi is now standing trial for allegedly sheltering a foreigner. She had been on house arrest for many years.

Clinton praised Asean collectively for its progress on human rights, saying the development of human rights within the regional grouping was "very welcomed" by the US government.

"Asean is moving in a very positive direction," she said.

But more attempts should be made to pressure Burma to "change their direction", she said.

The secretary of state also announced a return of the superpower to the region, which has a population of almost 600 million.

"The United States is back in Southeast Asia. President Obama and I believe that this region is vital to the global progress, peace and prosperity," she told the media at the Sheraton Grande Laguna hotel.

Clinton spent much of the press conference attempting to persuade North Korea to return to the discussion table on the Korean Peninsula's nuclear crisis.

She said only "irreversible denuclearisation" by North Korea would pave the way for a normalisation of ties with the US and prevent the country from facing global sanctions.

The goal was the betterment of North Korean citizens, she said.

All the five other countries in the six-party talks - the US, Russia, China, South Korea and Japan - were adamant that North Korea would have to halt its nuclear programme.

"We are willing to discuss the future of North Korea only if they agree to talk about denuclearisation," she said.

Clinton came to this resort island to attend the security-related Asean Regional Forum today. She also represented the US at the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with Asean.

Security was tight before and during the press briefing, with all journalists and cameramen covering the event required to pass through a metal detector.

Source : nationmultimedia.com

Clinton fears NKorea-Burma nuclear link

Asia

Clinton fears NKorea-Burma nuclear link

Writer: AFP

Published: 22/07/2009 at 01:59 PM

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concerns on Wednesday that North Korea could be sharing nuclear technology with Burma, posing a worrying new threat to regional security.

Clinton issued the warning as she arrived in the Thai resort island of Phuket for a major security forum at which the United States was to sign a treaty signalling its renewed commitment to Southeast Asia.

She was due to meet her counterparts from Russia, China, Japan and South Korea for talks later Wednesday on restarting their stalled multilateral dialogue with Pyongyang over its increasingly aggressive nuclear programme.

"We worry about the transfer of nuclear technology" from Stalinist North Korea to military-ruled Burma, Clinton said in an interview with Thailand's Nation TV.

On Tuesday, she said Washington was taking "very seriously" reports of conventional military cooperation between the two pariah states, adding that it would be "destabilising for the region."

Burma and North Korea, both isolated and under international sanctions, are set to dominate Clinton's two days of discussions with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and broader Asean Regional Forum.

Clinton was later set to sign a friendship pact with Southeast Asia in a sign of Washington's renewed interest to the region after nearly a decade in which it has been distracted by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

After arriving in Thailand Tuesday from New Delhi, Clinton said President Barack Obama's administration wants to send a strong message of engagement with the region after it was neglected by his predecessor George W. Bush.

US influence over Asean has been largely supplanted by China, which inked the same treaty with the 10-country bloc six years ago.

US officials said a key thrust of Clinton's debut at the forum would be to crank up pressure on North Korea to return to the nuclear disarmament talks after its recent missile and nuclear weapons tests.

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-Chun declined to attend the meeting, instead sending a roving ambassador to Phuket, and Southeast Asian officials say the Pyongyang delegation is concerned about coming under pressure.

Asean had asked China to play a key role in bringing North Korea back to the negotiating table, a Thai official said after the bloc's foreign ministers met their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea on Wednesday.

Washington is currently focused on implementing tough new UN sanctions, but officials said the US and its allies were ready to offer incentives to Pyongyang if it changed course -- something they did not expect any time soon.

Suspicions about military cooperation between Burma and North Korea escalated after a US Navy destroyer last month began tracking a suspect North Korean ship that was reportedly heading for Burma.

The vessel came under scrutiny under new UN sanctions designed to punish Pyongyang over its recent underground nuclear test and a series of rocket launches including a long-range projectile.

Separately, a group of exiled Burma activists last month released pictures of what they said was a secret network of tunnels built by North Korean experts inside Burma.

Clinton, meanwhile, also expressed concerns about the rights record of Burma, which has been slapped with US sanctions for its detention of political prisoners including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burma has sparked outrage by putting the Nobel Peace Prize winner on trial over an incident in which an American man swam to her lakeside house.

Clinton said Wednesday in her television interview that expelling Burma from Asean "would be an appropriate policy change to consider" if the ruling junta does not release Aung San Suu Kyi.

Obama has described the court proceedings as a "show trial", while talk of a revised US policy towards Burma has been on hold since the trial began.

Source : bangkokpost.com

North Korea fears forum criticism over missile tests

Local News

North Korea fears forum criticism over missile tests

Writer: THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL and ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT

Published: 22/07/2009 at 12:00 AM

PHUKET : North Korea has called on Thailand to protect its delegates from criticism during the Asean Regional Forum.

Pyongyang's ambassador at large Pak Kun-gwang yesterday raised the issue in talks with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ahead of tomorrow's security meeting.

Mr Pak requested an urgent meeting with the minister shortly after the five North Korean delegates arrived on the resort island yesterday.

North Korea is worried its recent missile tests would be condemned by countries participating in the forum, said Mr Kasit's secretary Chavanond Intarakomalyasut.

As the Asean chair, Thailand will head the Asean-initiated security talks.

Mr Chavanond quoted the minister as saying "we need to make sure the meeting's peace-building objectives are met and that he would not let any ARF members use the forum to attack other members".

"I would also like North Korea to listen to what the United States has to say," he said. "The Barack Obama administration should be given a chance to speak out."

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the forum, as will representatives from the European Union.

It is the first forum at which North Korea will engage with 25 other countries in such talks.

Asean foreign ministers will hold talks today with their dialogue partners from China, Japan and South Korea.

Thailand will push for closer cooperation with the three nations on finance, agriculture and health matters.

It will also urge the acceleration of the Chiang Mai Initiative during the Asean summit in Phuket in October, diplomatic sources said.

Last month, the so-called Asean+3 agreed in Bangkok to strengthen the regional financial mechanism. A regional pooling reserve would be established under the Chiang Mai Initiative with a US$20 billion (700 billion baht) start-up fund by the end of the year.

Director-general of the Asean Affairs Department Vitavas Srivihok said Asean ministers would also discuss measures to fight the A (H1N1) flu outbreak.

Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan has been assigned to liaise with Southeast Asian health ministers on the issue, the official said.

Source : bangkokpost.com, july 22,2009