MYANMAR MARKS 12TH ANNIVERSARY IN ASEAN, U.S. CALLS FOR ITS EXPULSION

PHUKET, July 22 (Bernama) -- Myanmar marked its 12th anniversary in Asean with a
question mark over its continued existence in the regional grouping after its
biggest critic, the United States, called for its expulsion.

The military-ruled Myanmar, referred to as Burma by western nations, joined
Asean in July 1997 in Kuala Lumpur despite misgivings by some countries over its
poor record of human rights and continued detention of democracy icon Aung San
Suu Kyi.

After 12 years, Suu Kyi remains in custody and currently faces a court trial
for "harbouring" an American while under house arrest. Many expect her to be
sentenced to jail as part of the military regime's move to keep her out of the
planned 2010 general election.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived here today to attend the
Asean Regional Forum (ARF), told a Thai television station during an interview
in Bangkok that Asean should consider expelling Myanmar if Suu Kyi, leader of
the National League for Democracy (NLD), was not released.

"It would be an appropriate policy change to consider," she had said when
asked
if Myanmar should be expelled.

The United States, the biggest investor in the region and Asean's largest
trading partner, has also expressed concern over reports of military ties
between Myanmar and North Korea, including cooperation in nuclear technology.

But Asean foreign ministers who have been meeting here since Sunday are
unlikely to take Clinton's call seriously as there are no provisions under the
grouping's charter to sack any member due to its long-standing policy of
non-interference in any member's domestic affairs.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the current chairman of Asean, had
ruled
out sanctioning or further alienating its widely-criticised member despite world
condemnation of the human rights abuses and clampdown on pro-democracy movements
in the country.

Myanmar was widely criticised after it refused to allow visiting United
Nations
secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon to meet Suu Kyi during his recent visit there.

In Phuket, the 10-member Asean only issued a statement encouraging the
Myanmar
government to hold free, fair and inclusive elections in 2010, as well as
reiterating calls to immediately release all those under detention, including
Suu Kyi.

Myanmar's foreign minister U Nyan Win had told his counterparts that
pressure from the outside and economic sanctions were hampering Myanmar's
democratisation and development efforts.

Asean's proposed human rights body was also criticised as being "toothless"
after it rejected Indonesia's proposal to include provisions on protection,
sanctions and country visits. This, said many, was a compromise on Asean's part
to accommodate some of its members, particularly Myanmar.

Japan's foreign ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama told a press conference here
that Asean should continue with its diplomacy approach towards Myanmar.

"I think we are in no way in position to simply becoming hopeless in regard
to engaging with the Myanmar government. We have been sending positive messages
to Myanmar and we hope to see positive response from them," he said.

Kodama said that as Japan recognised the fact that the Myanmar government
had been trying to address many complex challenges, it remained constructively
engaged with Myanmar as part of the Asean Community building process.

-- BERNAMA