Singapore (dpa) - Burma is looking for "understanding" from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, other countries and the United Nations, Deputy Defence Minister Aye Myint said Wednesday.
He described his homeland as "stable," but acknowledged arrests were still being made after the military-ruled country's crackdown in September on pro-democracy protests triggered an international outcry.
Major-General Aye Myint is among the ministers participating in the three-day Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) in Singapore.
"The situation is stable," he told a news conference after meeting with the participants from the other nine Asean countries.
"We control the situation," he said of the ruling junta. "We take in some people for questioning, but most are released."
Although Asean has sharply criticised Burma, the grouping has made it clear it was not expelling or suspending the country as many human rights groups would like.
"Nobody can understand Myanmar better than the government," Aye Myint said, using the military regime's name for Burma.
"We are looking for understanding from Asean, other countries and the United Nations," he added.
Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo reiterated that Asean "provides the channel for exchanges of views" and that the defence ministers received an update on Burma during their closed-door meeting.
"We hope that Myanmar will progress speedily toward a situation where all the parties come together," said Yeo. "We all want to see a stable Myanmar, a prosperous Myanmar." Asean has agreed to use the military regime's name for Burma.
The defence ministers were urged earlier to take part in the "exciting changes" sweeping the grouping.
With the landmark Asean charter scheduled to be signed November 20 at the leaders' summit, Singapore Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) "also needs to respond to the evolving strategic developments in the wider region."
"Asean's future is increasingly intertwined with the fate of the larger Asia-Pacific region," he noted.
Teo, in his opening remarks, said the ADMM provides a "platform for constructive dialogue on strategic issues" as well as a platform to promote practical cooperation among the Asean armed forces.
"This is especially crucial in view of the fluid regional security situation and the range of transnational security issues that the region faces," he said, citing terrorism, piracy, natural disasters and infectious diseases.
Asean includes Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Burma, the last country to join.
Prior to the start of the three-day meeting, the ministers called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The charter, billed as Asean's constitution, gives the grouping a legal identity after 40 years of existence and enables Asean to facilitate negotiations regionally and globally.
He described his homeland as "stable," but acknowledged arrests were still being made after the military-ruled country's crackdown in September on pro-democracy protests triggered an international outcry.
Major-General Aye Myint is among the ministers participating in the three-day Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) in Singapore.
"The situation is stable," he told a news conference after meeting with the participants from the other nine Asean countries.
"We control the situation," he said of the ruling junta. "We take in some people for questioning, but most are released."
Although Asean has sharply criticised Burma, the grouping has made it clear it was not expelling or suspending the country as many human rights groups would like.
"Nobody can understand Myanmar better than the government," Aye Myint said, using the military regime's name for Burma.
"We are looking for understanding from Asean, other countries and the United Nations," he added.
Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo reiterated that Asean "provides the channel for exchanges of views" and that the defence ministers received an update on Burma during their closed-door meeting.
"We hope that Myanmar will progress speedily toward a situation where all the parties come together," said Yeo. "We all want to see a stable Myanmar, a prosperous Myanmar." Asean has agreed to use the military regime's name for Burma.
The defence ministers were urged earlier to take part in the "exciting changes" sweeping the grouping.
With the landmark Asean charter scheduled to be signed November 20 at the leaders' summit, Singapore Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) "also needs to respond to the evolving strategic developments in the wider region."
"Asean's future is increasingly intertwined with the fate of the larger Asia-Pacific region," he noted.
Teo, in his opening remarks, said the ADMM provides a "platform for constructive dialogue on strategic issues" as well as a platform to promote practical cooperation among the Asean armed forces.
"This is especially crucial in view of the fluid regional security situation and the range of transnational security issues that the region faces," he said, citing terrorism, piracy, natural disasters and infectious diseases.
Asean includes Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Burma, the last country to join.
Prior to the start of the three-day meeting, the ministers called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The charter, billed as Asean's constitution, gives the grouping a legal identity after 40 years of existence and enables Asean to facilitate negotiations regionally and globally.
1 comment:
Good, make sure all trouble-makers are found. Leave no stone unturned.
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