New Zealand PM concerned at Burma’s stalled reform

New Zealand PM concerned at Burma’s stalled reform

Nov 24 (AP) - New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark expressed concern Wednesday over stalled democratic reform in Burma. Her comments came just days before she attends a summit of the 10-nation grouping of Southeast Asian states.

“The issue (of Burma) is certainly of concern to us and it’s also an issue of concern to them (Asean),” she told reporters as she confirmed she will attend the organization’s leaders’ summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Monday and Tuesday. The leaders of Australia and New Zealand have been invited to the Asean summit for the first time since 1977, in an indication that relations between the two blocs are thawing after years of suspicion from Asia that their southern neighbors were too westernized.

Burma’s political deadlock is expected to be a major topic for Asean leaders at the gathering.

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest, and relatively moderate prime minister Gen Khin Nyunt was fired last month on corruption allegations.

“Some thought is going into how the issue of Myanmar (Burma)—and the fact that it is due to take the chair of Asean in 2006—can be managed,” she said.

Clark said she discussed Burma during bilateral meetings with leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore at a summit of Pacific Rim leaders in Chile last week.

A top member of the junta in Burma said Monday it will resume its convention to draft guidelines for a new constitution in February next year.

Lt-Gen Thein Sein, in remarks broadcast late on Tuesday on state radio And television, said the convention would resume as part of the junta’s so-called road map to democracy, which is supposed to lead to free elections at an undetermined time in the future.

Clark said she expected the summit to see the “launch of negotiations On an ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade area” and to launch a “new era of relations with Asean.”

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