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YANGON, Myanmar: Singapore's Senior Minister, Goh Chok Tong, has urged Myanmar to continue with its process of national reconciliation and democracy.
Wrapping up his four-day visit to the country, Mr Goh noted that without political reform, Myanmar will not be able to achieve fast economic growth like other ASEAN economies.
And in its efforts towards national reconciliation, Mr Goh said Myanmar cannot ignore the international interest surrounding pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's trial.
Ms Suu Kyi is currently on trial for breaching the rules governing her house arrest.
Mr Goh said he had constructive discussions with Myanmar's top leaders, including Senior General Than Shwe. And it provided him with insights into just how complex Myanmar's political situation is.
He said: "I could see that Senior General Than Shwe is in a very difficult position. He has inherited this military regime - Myanmar has been under military government since 1962, so it's not his creation. Myanmar has come to a cul de sac, how does it make a u-turn? I think that's not easy."
Mr Goh added that Myanmar's stability is dependent on bringing together the three parties - the military government, the ethnic groups and the opposition.
Seventeen ethnic groups have signed a ceasefire agreement, but it is still unclear if all will take part in the upcoming polls.
Mr Goh noted that Senior General Than Shwe would like to bring the country towards democracy, using a cautious but practical approach.
The key test would be in the country's general election in 2010. Mr Goh said the process must be legitimate - that means fair and transparent elections.
He added that all parties that want to contest the elections should be allowed to do so, including Aung San Suu Kyi and her party - the National League for Democracy.
"Because if she's not campaigning for the party and whoever wins, well, one could argue that it's not quite legitimate because the main opposition party was not campaigning with its leader," he said.
Mr Goh said he has conveyed Singapore's view on the arrest of Ms Suu Kyi. He said Singapore is "dismayed by the arrest"... and it is "concerned as to what the verdict will be like and what the sentence will be like."
And while the matter is a domestic affair, Mr Goh stressed that Myanmar cannot ignore international interest in Ms Suu Kyi's trial and verdict because it would affect Myanmar's international relations.
Mr Goh pointed out that President Barack Obama's new administration is reviewing its foreign policy and Myanmar's actions will determine its relations with America.
He said: "I gave observation that the US government under Presdent Obama and State Secretary Hilary Clinton is reviewing foreign policy on all countries, including China, India, the Islamic world and North Korea.
"President Obama is trying to reach out to others, including those the US does not have good relations with. So Myanmar, in time to come, will also be reviewed and if Myanmar wants to have good relations with the US, how the trial comes out and the verdict will be, it will affect Myanmar-US relations.
"I think the government is aware that there is international perspective on Aung San Suu Kyi's trial. But it's a domestic affair. What the verdict and sentence will be, we will not want to pre-judge or influence them in any way."
Mr Goh added that how Myanmar is going to be governed will determine whether the country gets investments.
He observed that while there is progress in urban cities with new buildings and more cars, rural areas remain in poverty with many still living in thatched houses.
Myanmar's Prime Minister, Thein Sein, had said he would like to see investments from Singapore, but Mr Goh pointed out that is not possible until Myanmar's elections and results are known.
He said: "I don't believe any Singapore investors would come in a big way before the picture is clear, before this move to democracy is seen to produce results.
“I left with the impression that they have cloistered in my points. Beyond that, I cannot read their minds, but they gave me more than one hour, listening to my observations. We do not pressure them on what to do and I did not come here to give advice.
"But what I told him is we got to understand global trends, so what I could do as an old friend of Myanmar is to give inputs, and I made it very clear these are inputs."
Mr Goh also explained why Singapore is concerned about developments in Myanmar. He said being part of ASEAN, if Myanmar prospers, it will be good for the region and it will be better to have a prosperous ASEAN than a region with all kinds of problems. - CNA/de
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