HANDLING OF MYANMAR AT ASEAN SUMMIT

HANDLING OF MYANMAR AT ASEAN SUMMIT:

(Impact on ASEAN's credibility): 4.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong:

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) why did ASEAN heed Myanmar's last minute request not to allow UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to brief the East Asia Summit although this was earlier announced; and (b) whether ASEAN's credibility has suffered as a result of its handling of Myanmar at the ASEAN Summit.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what was ASEAN's response to Myanmar's assertion that it did not welcome ASEAN's diplomatic efforts and if it meant that regional diplomacy is now irrelevant.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take the next two questions together?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs): There is an international consensus that the UN and the mission of the UN Secretary-General's Special Advisor Professor Ibrahim Gambari offer the best hope for a peaceful transition to national reconciliation in Myanmar. Prof. Gambari had the cooperation of the Myanmar regime in his recent visits, and made more progress

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than anyone else has managed to achieve in recent years.

It was with this in mind and after consultations with regional countries that we invited Prof. Gambari to brief the East Asia Summit leaders and to hear their views. The early reactions from Myanmar suggested that we could proceed with the briefing. On 14th November, we were told directly by a very senior Myanmar leader that if the briefing would be of benefit to Myanmar, Myanmar would have no objections to it. On this note, Singapore proceeded to finalise arrangements for Prof. Gambari to brief the East Asia Summit. Prime Minister Lee also spoke to United Nations' Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who agreed that it would be useful for Prof. Gambari to give the briefing.

The Myanmar Government, however, raised objections a few days before the ASEAN Summit, by which time it was not possible for us to disinvite Prof. Gambari. Nevertheless, as late as the morning before the ASEAN Summit, the Myanmars agreed to consider a proposal that Prof. Gambari brief the ASEAN leaders instead of the EAS leaders.

Myanmar's position was unequivocally laid out only during the informal dinner meeting of ASEAN leaders that same evening, when PM Thein Sein declared that the Myanmar Government regarded the situation in Myanmar as a domestic affair and only Myanmar, not the UN, could brief the EAS or ASEAN leaders, and Prof. Gambari should only report to the UN Security Council. Myanmar wanted to deal with the UN directly and did not want ASEAN to play any political role. Once Myanmar took this position, ASEAN could not proceed. ASEAN works by consensus and we have to respect Myanmar's position, whether we agree with it or not. ASEAN has stepped aside and Myanmar now must, by its own

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choice, face the international community itself.

This does not mean that ASEAN is indifferent to the situation in Myanmar. As Minister George Yeo had explained to Parliament on 22nd October last year, it is in our interest to keep Myanmar as a member of the family as ASEAN has a direct interest in the country. What happens in Myanmar affects the well-being and interests of the rest of Southeast Asia. We do not want to see Myanmar descend into chaos or implode. While Myanmar has decided that it will deal with the UN directly, we will certainly continue to support Prof. Gambari's efforts if he feels that ASEAN can make a contribution. That said, so long as Myanmar insists on dealing with the UN and international community on its own, what ASEAN and any other country can do is obviously limited. Nonetheless, ASEAN stands ready to do what we can when and if Myanmar changes its mind.

It is obviously unsatisfactory that Myanmar sees no role for an organisation of which it is a member, and on an issue which affects us all. But this is not a matter of ASEAN's credibility. In the Chairman's Statement, ASEAN made it clear that a return to the status quo ante was not tenable and Myanmar must move forward with or without ASEAN's help. The statement elaborated on what Myanmar should do, including working with the UN so that there will be a meaningful dialogue between the regime and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy. When PM Lee read out the statement, he had the support of all the other ASEAN leaders.

Prof. Gambari had described his visit to Singapore as having been "extremely worthwhile". Singapore facilitated his meeting with a group of ASEAN Foreign Ministers and calls on the Philippine and

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Thai leaders. It should be noted that Prof. Gambari had met the Myanmar Prime Minister in Singapore. Prof. Gambari also had meetings with senior representatives of China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and various EU countries. These exchanges allowed interested countries to hear the UN's perspectives, and conversely Prof. Gambari left Singapore with a better understanding of the perspectives and concerns of key countries. Prof. Gambari had found support for his mission from all those he met.

Prof. Gambari is waiting to confirm his next visit to Myanmar. We will continue to support him. It is important that Singapore, ASEAN and the international community continue to give our full support to the Gambari mission as this offers the best hope for progress and a peaceful transition to national reconciliation in Myanmar.

In the larger scheme of things, the more important issue for ASEAN than Myanmar is our Charter. We should not and will not let the Myanmar issue slow down the integration of our region. The ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Economic Community are strategic developments that will set the direction for ASEAN to move forward to become a more cohesive, integrated, systematic and rules-based organisation, so that our region can make faster progress. Singapore has ratified the ASEAN Charter and we hope that the other ASEAN countries, including Myanmar, will do so expeditiously. ASEAN should not rule out amending the Charter so that it can come into force under the ASEAN-minus-X principle should some countries be unable to ratify the Charter in time, so that the rest of us are not held back.

Mr Sin Boon Ann (Tampines): Sir, other than the firm words of disapproval, I would like to ask the Minister what further actions ASEAN is intending to take

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to up the ante of disapproval of Myanmese action, especially if they choose not to respond or respond in a timely manner that they were expected to.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: I would not underestimate the impact of the position ASEAN has taken on Myanmar. The Myanmar Government has taken this into account. As to whether there are further measures that can be done, as you know, ASEAN is a consensus-based organisation, and it can only do what its members are willing to let the organisation do. But as I have said in my reply just now, ASEAN stands ready and willing to work to see how best we can bring a peaceful national reconciliation in Myanmar.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong: While Myanmar may assert that its problem is a domestic affair, may I ask the Minister whether he agrees that it is not an entirely domestic issue as it has great bearing on us and its effectiveness as a grouping. In fact, countries like EU, US and some countries like Canada, have indicated that it will affect their relations with ASEAN. Given this situation, can I ask the Minister, from the last ASEAN Summit, does the Minister sense that Myanmar has a sense of responsibility towards ASEAN as a member? And if it does not show any responsibility towards ASEAN as a member, should not ASEAN then take seriously the possibility of taking stronger actions against Myanmar?

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: This is actually somewhat the same question that Mr Sin asked me just now. My reply will be the same, that what ASEAN can do really depends on what its members are willing to allow the organisation to do. As I have said, ASEAN is a consensus-based organisation. On this particular issue, ASEAN has stated its position very clearly on what the next step should be for Myanmar.

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Mr Inderjit Singh: Can I ask the Minister if Myanmar gets expelled from ASEAN, then will the tone of decision-making change? Can this consensus-based process then be changed to one of more decision-making process?

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: I do not think that expelling Myanmar from ASEAN is a solution. Myanmar, as a regime, is already very isolated and I do not think it can get more isolated than it is. And to expel it, I do not think is particularly constructive. As Minister George Yeo mentioned in October last year, as long as Myanmar is a member of the ASEAN family, we still have channels of communication with it and through which we hopefully can influence the situation in Myanmar.