Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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November 18, 2007

ASEAN Leaders Say They Do Not Support Sanctions Against Burma
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1A4A36F:A6F02AD83191E16086A8D10F5C2F459830EB2FA2E66CBB22& ASEAN issued a
statement expressing revulsion at Burma's actions following the
Burmese military government's bloody crackdown on unarmed
demonstrators in September Some Southeast Asian leaders gathering for
a summit in Singapore say they do not support sanctions against Burma
following the military government's violent crackdown on pro-democracy
demonstrators. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Singapore, where
leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, are
preparing to adopt a charter this week.







Security guard stands outside a Singapore hotel as part of tight where
ASEAN leaders are gathering for their annual summit, 18 Nov.
2007Leaders of ASEAN are preparing to sign a charter for the
40-year-old organization that among other things calls for its ten
members not to interfere in one another's internal affairs. 

Following the Burmese military government's bloody crackdown on
unarmed demonstrators in September and the massive arrests of
dissidents, ASEAN issued a statement expressing revulsion at Burma's
actions.  It is expected to issue a rebuke of Burma's leaders this
week at the summit. However, leaders assembling here Sunday indicated
that is as far as the grouping is willing to go.

Laos and Cambodia, which have in the past stated their opposition to
getting tough on Burma, told reporters they denounce the sanctions
imposed by the United States and other western nations. Singapore's
Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, told a U.S. television network (CNBC)
his nation, which has turned up pressure on Burma since the crackdown,
also opposes sanctions.







Filipino activists stand beside portrait of pro-democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi as they picket outside Singapore embassy ahead of ASEAN
summit, 16 Nov 2007"Nobody in Asia supports that. First of all,
Myanmar wants to isolate itself," Lee said. "They have themselves
closed their doors and we have been trying to get them to open up. So,
pushing on this door to close it is not going to cause them grief.
Certainly (it's) not going to cause the leaders grief. Secondly, you
don't control all the doors."

Nations such as China and India, which have strong trade ties with
ASEAN, oppose sanctions. Leaders here note that the two nations would
continue to do business with Burma regardless of who else boycotts the
country.

The United States Senate on Friday passed a resolution calling on
ASEAN to suspend Burma from the organization. Secretary-General Ong
Keng Yong on Sunday rejected that call, saying other nations should
allow ASEAN - as he put it - "some democracy of ideas" and let the
region make its own decisions.

ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia,
Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Burma.




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