Brussels, 06/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The EU does not exclude reconsidering its participation in the EU/ASEAN meeting which should take place in Laos in December, if the Burmese junta continues its participation in the oppression of the democratic opposition, announced in Bangkok, the European Commission for Trade Pascal Lamy, quoted by the Agence France Presse. Called to react to the renewed house arrest of the leader of the Burmese opposition and Nobel Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, Commissioner Lamy felt that "this situation cannot continue" and that "internal measures must be taken by this regime and the democratic forces".
The meeting in Vientiane in Laos is the first formal ministerial meeting between the European union and the ASEAN countries, since the accession of Burma to the Association of South East Asian Nations, in July 1997. A compromise on the discrete participation of the Burmese junta in the meeting was finally found this year. It is probably to early to say if the meeting will take place", the answer at this stage cannot be yes or no" noted Commissioner Lamy, adding that he would discuss this with the Commissioner for external relations, Chris Patten, the Commission and the Member Sates. The Commissioner to Trade was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN economy Minister that took place in Chiang Mai in Thailand.