 Southeast Asian nations are pressing Myanmar's generals to get serious about democracy as they open a summit aiming for broader Asian integration.
| It's only been, what? Forty some years? |
Military-ruled Myanmar's failure to fulfil its pledge to restore democracy and its continued house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has become the biggest political challenge facing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. With the bloc's frustrations with fellow member Myanmar reaching a boiling point, leaders on Monday pushed the governing generals to allow Asean ministers to visit the country to assess its progress towards democracy. Myanmar, which keeps out reporters and recently ended visits by a UN envoy, said it would allow the Asean visit but that details need to be worked out, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said after the 10 Asean leaders met in a retreat in Kuala Lumpur. |