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SINGAPORE - ASEAN chief Ong Keng Yong on Sunday rejected a US Senate resolution urging the bloc to suspend military-run Myanmar, saying the region makes its own decisions and that confrontation is not the answer.
"The rest of the world think they know what is good for all of us," the Association of Southeast Asian Nations secretary-general told reporters ahead of the 10-nation grouping's summit.
"What we are saying is please, allow us some democracy of ideas, democracy of option. You are advocating democracy but you are saying your idea is the only workable idea. Is it fair to us?"
The US Senate on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Southeast Asian leaders to suspend Myanmar at the summit as punishment over its bloody September crackdown on pro-democracy protests.
"It is now time for ASEAN to back its words with actions," said Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer who sponsored the resolution.
Separately, First Lady Laura Bush urged foreign companies to shun a just-opened Myanmar gem show aimed at reaping much-needed foreign currency to counteract tightening Western sanctions.
ASEAN issued a rare rebuke to Myanmar's military government following the crackdown, expressing "revulsion" and demanding that the generals immediately stop the use of violence against protesters.
But Mr Ong defended ASEAN's stance of favouring engagement with the ageing generals who run Myanmar, and said that if threatened with expulsion, they would "just walk away".
"There's really no other option. The Myanmar guys are quite happy to be left alone. They are not afraid of being isolationists... they can just shut their door and go into hibernation."
Mr Ong said Southeast Asian leaders believed the priority was to support UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari's efforts to promote democratic reforms in Myanmar, and prevent any "slippage" on the process he has initiated.
Dr Gambari, who has visited Myanmar twice since the crackdown, is to deliver a mid-week briefing to ASEAN leaders and their counterparts from six other Asian nations, including China and India, two of the Myanmar's key allies.
ASEAN leaders are expected to dish out a scolding to Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein during this week's talks, and sign a charter committing the bloc to "promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms".
However, rights groups say the charter is inadequate because it lacks any clear mechanism for ASEAN to take action against Myanmar. - AFP/ir
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