SINGAPORE/MANILA (Reuters) – Myanmar should commit to democracy and release its opposition leader if it signs the new ASEAN Charter, or risk the Philippines not ratifying it, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said on Monday. [Myanmar needs democracy for ASEAN charter: Manila. Reuters. November 20 2007]
I hope that does not derail the planned regional-wide economic integration in 2015.
If it does, we, as in ASEAN, need to kick Myanmar off the tightrope and continue a step towards freer trade. I do not support kicking the country out of ASEAN for such move reduces ASEAN’s say over the country but if Myanmar is dragging the rest of ASEAN member states from achieving freer trade (okay, okay; I know it is regionalism, a slightly perverted idea of free trade but given the pace of the Doha Round, regionalism free trade is the next best thing), we might as well cut Myanmar lose. We may have responsibilities to the people of Myanmar but we also have responsibilities to ourselves. Myanmar must not be that wall that prevents ASEAN from moving forward.
We have waited long enough and I do not want to wait much longer than necessary.
