Leaders to discuss Myanmar's bid to chair ASEAN in 2014

The leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to discuss Myanmar’s bid to chair the 10-country regional bloc in 2014, but would most likely not issue a decision on the request yet. Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters the ASEAN leaders would definitely look into the matter but “I have a feeling personally that this is not a matter that will be decided here." In a separate interview, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the ministers "agreed to recommend Myanmar's bid for chairmanship to the leaders." If the matter will not be decided in this Summit, Myanmar would have to wait until the next ASEAN meet in November to be held in Bali, Indonesia. Indonesia is the current chair of the ASEAN. Myanmar had formally submitted its request to exchange its chairmanship with Laos but sources said Myanmar still hopes to get the chairmanship. The ASEAN chairmanship is a matter decided by the leaders of the member-states years ahead. After Indonesia, Cambodia will take over the chairmanship for 2012 and will be followed by Brunei for 2013. In 2006, Myanmar skipped its turn to chair ASEAN due to international pressure for democratic reforms on the condition that it could ask to lead the group at a later time if it felt it was ready. Myanmar President Thein Sein, appointed in March 2011, brought up the issue when he met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when he arrived last Thursday in Indonesia for the Summit. Marty said “the matter was discussed and the chairman of ASEAN, our President, mentioned that this will be brought to the attention of the other leaders for their perusal and consideration." “There will be a process to ascertain the readiness of Myanmar to assume chairmanship in 2014," Marty said. He will be going to Myanmar soon to assess the progress and political situation there. He said other ASEAN countries are welcome to come also. In a separate interview, Philippine House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte expressed hope that Myanmar will be able to implement changes in its political system by 2014. “Matagal pa rin naman yun (That’s still a long way from now). I think a lot of things will happen before that. Let’s hope that by that time they will be up to it. I believe they are up in terms of competence, but there is a question on the philosophy of their government and in its human rights record)," he said. A international human rights group earlier said the ASEAN leaders should reject Myanmar's bid for chairmanship until its government takes genuine steps toward improving human rights, including the release of more than 2,000 political prisoners. Human Rights Watch said Myanmar has failed to address concerns repeatedly raised by ASEAN leaders in past summits. It said Myanmar held sham elections in November 2010, with widespread restrictions on opposition parties, continued detention of political activists, and severe limits on basic freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. International election monitoring was also not allowed. The military-backed party won a large majority of seats and now dominates the government. "Rewarding Burma with ASEAN's chairmanship after it staged sham elections and still holds 2,000 political prisoners would be an embarrassment for the region," said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "ASEAN leaders need to decide if they will let Burma demote ASEAN to the laughingstock of intergovernmental forums," she added. Since the election, Burma freed democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi when her house detention order expired. But more than 2,000 activists, journalists, artists, aid workers, and members of political parties remain in Burma's squalid prisons, locked up for peaceful acts expressing opposition. She added ASEAN member states should set clear benchmarks for Burma to earn the right to be chair, starting with the immediate release of all political prisoners in Burma, an inclusive dialogue with all political and ethnic parties, and cooperation with international efforts to promote accountability for human rights abuses. "ASEAN leaders should not be fooled into thinking Aung San Suu Kyi's release means any progress on reform in Burma," said Pearson. "They should join Indonesia and the Philippines in calling for Burma to release all political prisoners." — LBG, GMA News