Thursday, July 26, 2007
The Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines: The Philippines appealed Thursday for Myanmar to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi by November, when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations marks its founding anniversary.
"That's a very important milestone," Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said.
Romulo said he would convey his appeal to his Myanmar counterpart, Nyan Win, who is to join an annual meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers Monday.
Myanmar's spotty human rights record has been raised at every major ASEAN meeting, but Romulo said there was no other option but to be patient.
"It's not easy to be waiting all the time, but we must keep our hopes and optimism," he told a news conference. "We should never get weary."
Myanmar ignored international calls not to extend the house arrest of Suu Kyi earlier this year, provoking new criticism, including from ASEAN.
ASEAN's 10 foreign ministers are to discuss Myanmar's efforts to democratize, according to a draft joint ministerial statement, which reserved a paragraph for the situation in the military-ruled nation.
Southeast Asian countries were hoping Myanmar would also complete a constitution it has been drafting for years by the time ASEAN leaders hold their annual summit in Singapore in November.
Myanmar's junta has said that drafting a constitution is the first of seven steps in a so-called roadmap to democracy that will culminate in free elections.
Critics say the process is a sham because it does not involve democracy activists such as Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who has been in prison or under house arrest for more than 12 of the past 18 years.
Although bound by an ASEAN edict not to interfere in each other's affairs, some members, like Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, have become more blunt in their criticism, urging Myanmar to show tangible progress toward democratization.
Authoritarian members, like Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, have refused to engage in stinging criticism of Myanmar.
Myanmar's ruling generals took power in 1988. They called elections in 1990, but refused to recognize the results when Suu Kyi's party won a resounding victory.
Myanmar should have held ASEAN's rotating chairmanship and hosted the regional summit last year, but it gave up the chance amid protests by Western governments. The chairmanship, rotated alphabetically, was abruptly passed on to the Philippines.
Singapore takes over the chairmanship next week.
"That's a very important milestone," Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said.
Romulo said he would convey his appeal to his Myanmar counterpart, Nyan Win, who is to join an annual meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers Monday.
Myanmar's spotty human rights record has been raised at every major ASEAN meeting, but Romulo said there was no other option but to be patient.
"It's not easy to be waiting all the time, but we must keep our hopes and optimism," he told a news conference. "We should never get weary."
Myanmar ignored international calls not to extend the house arrest of Suu Kyi earlier this year, provoking new criticism, including from ASEAN.
ASEAN's 10 foreign ministers are to discuss Myanmar's efforts to democratize, according to a draft joint ministerial statement, which reserved a paragraph for the situation in the military-ruled nation.
Southeast Asian countries were hoping Myanmar would also complete a constitution it has been drafting for years by the time ASEAN leaders hold their annual summit in Singapore in November.
Myanmar's junta has said that drafting a constitution is the first of seven steps in a so-called roadmap to democracy that will culminate in free elections.
Critics say the process is a sham because it does not involve democracy activists such as Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who has been in prison or under house arrest for more than 12 of the past 18 years.
Although bound by an ASEAN edict not to interfere in each other's affairs, some members, like Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, have become more blunt in their criticism, urging Myanmar to show tangible progress toward democratization.
Authoritarian members, like Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, have refused to engage in stinging criticism of Myanmar.
Myanmar's ruling generals took power in 1988. They called elections in 1990, but refused to recognize the results when Suu Kyi's party won a resounding victory.
Myanmar should have held ASEAN's rotating chairmanship and hosted the regional summit last year, but it gave up the chance amid protests by Western governments. The chairmanship, rotated alphabetically, was abruptly passed on to the Philippines.
Singapore takes over the chairmanship next week.
1 comment:
I just wonder if SRP ever win the election, will Hun Sen do the same?
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