Asean expansion `good for family'

SINGAPORE and the Philippines have defended a decision by the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) to admit international pariah Burma into their club, saying it would make the group stronger.

``There would be a lot of common interest . . . to make Asean an important economic bloc and also one with political influence,'' visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said, dismissing objections by western governments because of human rights abuses in Burma.

The group decided 10 days ago to admit Burma, Laos and Cambodia into Asean.

``We know that the US and Europe are unhappy with Myanmar's (Burma's) admission, but we have always taken a position that the internal situation of a country is that country's concern,'' Mr Goh said.

He said Asean believed it was better to engage Burma in constructive dialogue so it could reform by looking at its neighbours.

``We don't believe that sanctions will work. We haven't heard anybody come out with a better alternative than constructive engagement,'' he said.

Mr Goh said Asean members believed a country's internal affairs were its own concerns.

``We know that many people are unhappy with human rights or so-called human right abuses in countries within Asean. But we want to work together and we do things our way,'' he said.

Western countries led by the United States had put pressure on the group to deny membership to Burma because of its human rights record.

The new members are expected to be formally admitted next month.

Philippine President Fidel Ramos also defended the group's decision to admit Burma as a member.

``We look at Asean as a family where you have strong, capable, economically affluent and at the same time some poor and weak members who must be kept together within the family,'' he said. - Reuter