Among Asean countries at an informal meeting in Bali's resort town of Ubud, many suggested the group should soften pressure and gave Burma a chance to continue its process toward political reform.

"The problem is when Asean is involved, Asean is politicised by domestic politics," said Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo.

Many other members in the meeting said the Asean should continue to engage Burma and help the junta move forward, he said.

"We reiterate our position on the importance of Myanmar (Burma) staying on the roadmap toward democracy and we call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi," the Singaporean minister told reporters.

Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win vowed to report all concerns from Asean ministers to the generals at home, Yeo said.

The Burma issue dominated the Asean meeting yesterday after Malaysia's Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar as an Asean special envoy to Rangoon expressed his dissatisfaction over his factfinding mission, which brought him to see only some "stakeholders" in Burmese politics.

He could not meet opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to express Asean's views over political reform and cut short his visit.  

Despite his dissatisfaction, Syed Hamid told his Asean colleagues yesterday that he saw some positive developments in the juntaruled country, according to Yeo.

"He hopes the Myanmar (Burma) government will do a better job of presenting itself to the world," Yeo said.

However, the Asean ministers at the meeting did not recommend or suggest what the junta should do to make progress but merely hoped Burma would keep to former prime minister Khin Nyunt's sevenstep roadmap towards national reconciliation and democracy and release Suu Kyi.

Asean members would also further engage Burma on a bilateral basis, such as Indonesia whose visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was helping the situation, Yeo said.

by Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Ubud, Indonesia