BURMA:Southeast Asian foreign ministers have hailed as historic an agreement to create a regional human rights body, but the grouping has stuck to its traditionally subdued criticism of Burma's military junta.
The 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), which has long been derided by the West for its failure to tackle its most notorious member, also sidestepped working out the mandate and scope of a future rights body yesterday.
One diplomat privy to discussions said differences over the body had been papered over to get Asean's newer members - Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam - to agree to its creation.
"This is a victory for human rights," the Philippines foreign secretary Alberto Romulo said.
He insisted no country could opt out of joining the rights body, which would be established once leaders ratified a mini-constitution for Asean in November.
Southeast Asia is hoping a charter will transform Asean, whose members include an absolute monarchy and communist states, into a rules-based organisation better able to compete against the growing economic might of China and India.
Differences however have already emerged on whether Asean should abandon its time-honoured way of resolving issues by consensus or put them to a vote, seen as key if the bloc wants to speed up regional economic integration by 2015.
Mr Romulo said a decision on voting procedures as well as whether wayward members could be sanctioned would be decided by leaders when they agreed on the charter.
Foreign ministers agreed on the first draft of the mini-constitution at yesterday's meeting in the Philippines, which holds the rotating chairmanship of Asean.
"The leaders will determine by themselves how to proceed," said Mr Romulo, adding that the first draft was just "the point of reference".
A joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting showed that the 40-year-old bloc, which has a policy of non-interference in its members' internal affairs, was still using a "softly-softly" approach to Burma.
While Asean called for the release of political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, it did not name the Nobel laureate, but referred to her as the leader of the NLD (National League for Democracy).
"We urged Myanmar to show tangible progress that would lead to a peaceful transition to democracy in the near future," the communique said. "While recognising the steps taken by the Myanmar government to release the leader of the NLD, we continue to express concern on the detention of all political detainees and reiterate our calls for their early release."
Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said the ministers were forthright in demanding Ms Suu Kyi's release at the closed-door meeting.
"I think we have made very strong comments that we wanted to see something that can be believed, that is acceptable to the Asean community," he said. He said Burma did not say when Ms Suu Kyi would be freed.
An estimated 1,100 political prisoners are believed to be behind bars in Burma. Ms Suu Kyi (62) has been confined for more than 11 of the past 17 years. - (Reuters)