Radio Australia - News - Philippines says Burma should not host ASEAN

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Radio Australia - News - Philippines says Burma should not host ASEAN

[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1349990.htm]


Last Updated 20/04/2005, 23:19:39

The Philippine Senate has unanimously approved a resolution calling for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strip Burma of the group's chairmanship next year.

The resolution says Burma should NOT assume the ASEAN chairmanship unless it complies with the principles of human rights law, particularly the freedom from house arrest of pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burma is due to assume the rotating chairmanship of the 10-nation ASEAN next year.

The European Union and the United States have warned they will boycott ASEAN meetings, if Burma steers the grouping.

The issue has exposed divisions among ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Officials from the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia have been calling for Burma not to be allowed to chair the group, but other members say that would be ignoring ASEAN's principle of non-interference in each other's internal problems.

ASEAN foreign ministers have deferred a decision on the chairmanship until July, when they will meet again for ministerial meetings in Laos.

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Radio Australia - News - Philippines says Burma should not host ASEAN