LORD/SOUTHEAST ASIA By DAN ROBINSON

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/* Written  6:23 pm  May  4, 1994 by DEBRA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:hrnet.asia-pac */
/* ---------- "LORD/SOUTHEAST ASIA By DAN ROBINSON" ---------- */
## author     : apakabar@xxxxxxxxx
## date       : 03.05.94

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DATE=5/3/94
TITLE=LORD / SOUTHEAST ASIA (L)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  THE TOP U-S OFFICIAL FOR EAST ASIAN AFFAIRS HAS BEEN
SPEAKING ABOUT U-S POLICY ON A NUMBER OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN
ISSUES. FROM BANGKOK, V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS U-S
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC
AFFAIRS, WINSTON LORD, FOCUSED ON BURMA AND CAMBODIA DURING
AN APPEARANCE ON THE U-S INFORMATION AGENCY'S WORLDNET
TELEVISION PROGRAM:

TEXT:  MR. LORD SAYS THE UNITED STATES BELIEVES THE
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN) -- COMPRISING
THAILAND, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, INDONESIA, PHILIPPINES AND
BRUNEI -- SHARES WASHINGTON'S GOALS IN BURMA:

                         // LORD ACT //

         NAMELY TO SEE A MORE OPEN BURMA, ONE WHERE THE
         FREELY-ELECTED PEOPLE DO HAVE A CHANCE TO COMPETE
         FOR POWER, AND TO RELEASE PEOPLE FROM JAIL AND
         GENERALLY EASE HUMAN RIGHTS.

                          // END ACT //

MR. LORD SAID U-S POLICY TOWARD THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN
RANGOON DIFFERS FROM THE ASEAN APPROACH OF CONSTRUCTIVE
DIPLOMACY.  IN HIS WORDS, REASONABLE PEOPLE AND NATIONS CAN
AGREE TO DISAGREE ON THE BEST WAY TO AFFECT PEACEFUL CHANGE.

THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY COMPLETED A REVIEW OF
ITS BURMA POLICY.  MR. LORD SAID HE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE
RESULTS OF THE REVIEW WITH ASEAN OFFICIALS IN MEETINGS
COMING UP IN WASHINGTON.

ASKED ABOUT RECENT REPORTS THE UNITED STATES WAS STEPPING UP
DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE ON COUNTRIES SUPPLYING WEAPONS TO
BURMA'S MILITARY, MR. LORD DECLINED TO COMMENT DIRECTLY.
BUT HE SAID WASHINGTON HOPES ASEAN WILL KEEP SOME BASIC
GOALS IN MIND WHEN DEALING WITH BURMA:

                         // LORD ACT //

         I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT IN ENGAGING BURMA, THE ASEAN
         COUNTRIES WILL TRY TO SET FORTH SOME CONCRETE
         CRITERIA FOR PROGRESS AS PART OF THEIR ENGAGEMENT
         STRATEGY.  WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONSULT ON THIS
         ISSUE.  WE DO BELIEVE ARMS SHOULD  NOT  BE SENT TO
         THIS REGIME AND WHATEVER CHANGES MAY OR MAY  NOT
         BE TAKING PLACE THERE, AND WE DO  NOT  THINK THEY
         ARE VERY PROFOUND YET WITH RESPECT TO THE OPENNESS
         OF THAT SYSTEM, THE FACT REMAINS THERE IS A HUMAN
         RIGHTS PROBLEM, A REFUGEE PROBLEM AND A DRUG
         PROBLEM, SO IT IS A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.

                          // END ACT //

ON CAMBODIA, MR. LORD CALLED RECENT FIGHTING BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT FORCES AND THE KHMER ROUGE WORRISOME AND SAID THE
SITUATION SHOULD BE HIGH ON THE AGENDA OF ASEAN MEETINGS IN
COMING MONTHS.

                         // REST OPT //

MR. LORD ALSO REVEALED THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS INVITED
MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD FOR A WHITE HOUSE
MEETING LATER THIS WEEK.

MALAYSIA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN AT ODDS OVER MR.
MAHATHIR'S PROPOSAL FOR A NEW EAST ASIAN ECONOMIC GROUPING.
THE UNITED STATES HAS GENERALLY OPPOSED THE IDEA.  MR.
MAHATHIR DECLINED TO ATTEND A MEETING OF ASIA-PACIFIC
LEADERS IN SEATTLE LAST NOVEMBER. (SIGNED)

NEB/DR/DC/MMK

03-May-94 8:20 AM EDT (1220 UTC) NNNN