ASEAN spurned international pressure yesterday and decided to admit Burma, along with Cambodia and Laos, next month. Under an expansion programme that realises the dreams of its founders 30 years ago, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chose long-term strategic considerations to bring the trio into the fold at the group's annual meeting on July 24 and 25. While the countries involved hailed the decision, taken by ASEAN foreign ministers during a two-hour meeting in Kuala Lumpur, critics warned it would mean more repression of Burma's pro-democracy forces. Despite some murmurs of discontent within the group before the meeting, ministers quickly reached agreement, saying it was time to achieve the goal of an ASEAN 10 - the seven existing members plus the new partners. 'It was unanimous - there were no reservations on the part of any member,' ASEAN chairman, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Badawi, said. Declaring that 'all factors' had been taken into account, Mr Badawi said they believed it would be better for ASEAN and the region if Burma was a member of the grouping. The decision was firm and 'non-reversible', he added. Critics protested ASEAN's move would legitimise and embolden a junta notorious for human rights abuses. It was 'disgraceful that ASEAN is condoning a military dictatorship and gross human rights violations', said Malaysian activist Fan Yew Teng. Fan, along with eight others, was detained by police after they demonstrated outside the venue of the meeting. A Singaporean opposition leader, Chee Soon Juan, said Burma would read ASEAN's move as a 'green light' to 'carry on with its ways' instead of being pressurised into opening a dialogue with the opposition. In Burma, the opposition warned of a further crackdown, saying the junta would 'feel they have gained a lot of legitimacy and recognition' now they 'do not have to worry about what ASEAN thinks'. Riot police were last night still blocking access to the Rangoon headquarters of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party. The official press stepped up its attacks on the Nobel Prize winner, lambasting her and 'neo-colonialist' powers for having urged ASEAN to delay Burma's entry. The junta has for the past few weeks barred supporters from gathering for a congress marking the seventh anniversary of the party's victory in elections which the Government has refused to recognise. It had detained or confined to their homes more than 300 opposition members in the run-up to the meeting this week, the party said. Yesterday's move comes in the wake of strong American and Japanese pressure on ASEAN not to admit Burma, and just a few weeks after Washington banned new investment in the country. New York on Friday became the 11th US city to impose sanctions on Burma, as Mayor Rudy Giuliani signed a law barring contracts with firms operating in the country.