Thursday, April 21, 2011

Myanmar hopes to chair ASEAN in 2014

BY NAOJI SHIBATA DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD

2011/04/20


NARA--Myanmar (Burma) has told the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that it wants to chair the grouping in 2014 after declining the post in 2006 amid Western criticism.

In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on April 18, Surin Pitsuwan, the ASEAN secretary-general, indicated that U.S. approval may hold the key.


Surin Pitsuwan

He said the leaders of other ASEAN members will decide on the chairmanship, adding that the opinions of East Asia Summit members will likely be respected.

Surin said he wanted ASEAN's dialogue partners to "feel comfortable enough to come to our meeting."

Japan, China and South Korea are among the 16 members of the East Asia Summit. The United States and Russia will join this year.

Myanmar was scheduled to chair ASEAN in 2006. But other members persuaded it not to accept the post because the United States and European countries were critical of slow progress toward democracy in Myanmar.

The government of Myanmar said it has shifted from a military regime to civilian rule after a general election in November.

It apparently hopes to demonstrate its legitimacy internationally by chairing ASEAN before its full-scale economic integration, which is slated for 2015.

Surin said he hopes the new Myanmar government, which still comprises many former military officials, will make substantial progress toward democracy.

"We hope there is a substantive change (in the way) they deal with their problems and their relations with the rest of the world," he said.

He also asked Western countries to lift economic sanctions against Myanmar at an early date, saying that its people are suffering more than its government.

Touching on other regional issues, Surin said the ASEAN Regional Forum is expected to discuss Thailand's border dispute with Cambodia at its meeting in July.

Thailand has refused to accept observers from Indonesia, this year's ASEAN chair, for the disputed border.

Surin said cautiousness is strong within the Thai military, rather than the government, toward an Indonesian mission.

"It's not the government (but) the military establishment and various other players in the system" that are not ready to accept observers, Surin said.

He added that he is watching Thailand's response after a general election to be held in the near future.

Surin offered his condolences to victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake on behalf of ASEAN. He said ASEAN wants to do whatever it can.

He and his friends already donated $10,000 (830,000 yen) through the Nippon Foundation to support the quake-hit areas.

Source: Asahi

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