ASEAN rejects US call to suspend Myanmar

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Sunday rejected the U.S. Senate's call to suspend Myanmar, saying the military-ruled country is like a troubled child who must be disciplined with dialogue.

"Myanmar is part of our family and it is the principle involved," ASEAN secretary-general Ong Keng Yong told reporters, a day before an annual summit of Southeast Asian leaders convenes in Singapore. "It's like you as a parent, if you have a troubled child, do you say, `... go out of the house, I don't want to talk to you?'"

The U.S. Senate on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution urging ASEAN to consider "appropriate disciplinary measures, including suspension, until such time as the government of Burma has demonstrated improved respect for and commitment to human rights. " Myanmar is also known as Burma.

ASEAN's Senate snub is not unexpected since it has said expelling Myanmar is not an option. Still, Myanmar — under military rule since 1962 — has become a major embarrassment for the association, which is under intense pressure from trading partners U.S. and Europe to bring about change in that country.

The pressure intensified after the junta's troops and police opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in late September, killing at least 15 people.

A round of subsequent diplomacy by U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari led to some apparent concessions by the military rulers, including an indication that they will restart a reconciliation process with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest.

"Let us build on that," said Ong. "The challenge for ASEAN is to prevent slippage of what Gambari has achieved," he said. "Our approach is not to take such a confrontational, drastic action, especially when it doesn't yield good results."

The Senate resolution, introduced by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., also urged the 10-nation ASEAN to take "substantial steps to ensure peaceful transition to democracy in Burma."

Washington said U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab will underscore U.S. concerns when she meets with ASEAN economic ministers Monday.

ASEAN has often cited its policy of noninterference in one another's affairs for its inability to do much about Myanmar, though that stand has become increasingly diluted with Southeast Asian leaders expressing frustration with the junta publicly.

It is likely ASEAN leaders will speak their minds when they meet privately with Myanmar Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Sein during a closed-door dinner Monday night. Appointed in October, Thein Sein recently paid diplomatic visits to neighboring Vietnam and Laos.