'Asean will never suspend Myanmar'
Being 'constructive': Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar (right) with UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Picture: Bernama
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
SOUTHEAST ASIAN countries will never suspend Myanmar from their 10-nation bloc despite its bloody crackdown on mass protests, Malaysia's foreign minister said Tuesday after talks here with a UN envoy.
The military regime in Myanmar has come under heavy international pressure since quelling last month's peaceful rallies, but Syed Hamid Albar dismissed suggestions the Asean club could suspend its membership.
"If you want Myanmar to continue to be engaged, first we should not be talking about suspending. Nobody can talk when you are threatening with all sorts of things," the foreign minister told a press conference.
"Secondly, there is no mechanism for suspension in Asean. Asean will never take that route," he said after a meeting with United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
Gambari is on a regional tour trying to increase pressure on the regime to halt its crackdown on dissent, release political detainees and launch talks with the pro-democracy opposition.
Malaysia sponsored Myanmar to join Asean in 1997, but has recently become highly critical of the ruling generals, who snubbed Syed Hamid during a visit last year.
However, the minister said Myanmar's neighbours must work to prevent the impoverished nation from becoming even more internationally isolated, notably by fostering its dialogue with the United Nations.
"Asean's most important role is to give its encouragement and support, wherever we can play a role, to request (Myanmar) as a member of Asean to work together with them," he said.
"We will continue to ask Myanmar to work with the UN as I think it is the best channel for them."
The United Nations sent Gambari, a top trouble-shooter, to Myanmar amid international outrage over the crackdown.
Gambari said Monday in Bangkok that reports of further arrests of activists were "extremely disturbing."
After his talks with Syed Hamid, Gambari said he would meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here Wednesday to pass on a message from UN chief Ban Ki-moon on how Southeast Asian nations could help ease the crisis.
The Nigerian-born diplomat will fly on to Indonesia, India, China and Japan. He has said he aims to return to Myanmar by mid-November but hopes the junta will allow him to visit sooner.
AFP
The military regime in Myanmar has come under heavy international pressure since quelling last month's peaceful rallies, but Syed Hamid Albar dismissed suggestions the Asean club could suspend its membership.
"If you want Myanmar to continue to be engaged, first we should not be talking about suspending. Nobody can talk when you are threatening with all sorts of things," the foreign minister told a press conference.
"Secondly, there is no mechanism for suspension in Asean. Asean will never take that route," he said after a meeting with United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
Gambari is on a regional tour trying to increase pressure on the regime to halt its crackdown on dissent, release political detainees and launch talks with the pro-democracy opposition.
Malaysia sponsored Myanmar to join Asean in 1997, but has recently become highly critical of the ruling generals, who snubbed Syed Hamid during a visit last year.
However, the minister said Myanmar's neighbours must work to prevent the impoverished nation from becoming even more internationally isolated, notably by fostering its dialogue with the United Nations.
"Asean's most important role is to give its encouragement and support, wherever we can play a role, to request (Myanmar) as a member of Asean to work together with them," he said.
"We will continue to ask Myanmar to work with the UN as I think it is the best channel for them."
The United Nations sent Gambari, a top trouble-shooter, to Myanmar amid international outrage over the crackdown.
Gambari said Monday in Bangkok that reports of further arrests of activists were "extremely disturbing."
After his talks with Syed Hamid, Gambari said he would meet Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi here Wednesday to pass on a message from UN chief Ban Ki-moon on how Southeast Asian nations could help ease the crisis.
The Nigerian-born diplomat will fly on to Indonesia, India, China and Japan. He has said he aims to return to Myanmar by mid-November but hopes the junta will allow him to visit sooner.
AFP
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