BURMA'S military regime made its debut as a full observer of ASEAN yesterday with a surprise pledge to push multi-party democracy and free trade.
'Myanmar's [Burma's] national goal is to build a peaceful, prosperous, modern and developed state based on a multi-party democratic system and a market-oriented economy,' Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw told the opening session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ministerial meeting.
'Due to the unswerving efforts of the Government, Myanmar today is enjoying peace, stability and economic growth as never before in history,' he said.
Mr Gyaw's comments follow heavy Western criticism of Burma's suppression of the pro-democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
However, this year's chairman of the ASEAN standing committee, Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, spoke warmly of Burma at a brief morning ceremony to mark its induction.
'We have been able to observe the firmest endeavours of Myanmar to prepare itself for eventual membership in our association,' he said.
'We truly appreciate that. For, ever since ASEAN was founded three decades ago, it has been the abiding vision of its members that one day all of the 10 nations of Southeast Asia will live in harmony . . . within the fold of the ASEAN family.' Mr Gyaw said in the opening session his Government had put an end to civil war that had wracked the country since independence and was drafting a new constitution to ensure stability.
