HANOI : Ten leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have urged Burma's ruling generals to ensure elections planned for this year will be free, fair and inclusive.
"We hope that the election in Myanmar [Burma] would be fair and democratic," said Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in his capacity as chairman of the 16th Asean Summit.
Mr Dung, speaking at the close of the summit yesterday, said Asean leaders wanted to see the Burmese people participate in the election.
Mr Dung said his Burmese counterpart Gen Thein Sein had assured Asean leaders that the election in Burma would take place this year.
The Burmese prime minister briefed Asean leaders on recent political developments and progress made in implementing the country's so-called "Road Map for Democracy", especially preparations for the election, said Mr Dung.
Asean leaders underscored the importance of ensuring the general election was free and fair, he said.
The Asean members agreed to contribute toward Burma's stability and development.
"We are ready to support Myanmar," he said.
Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said Gen Thein Sein would not explain in detail either the national reconciliation process or five new laws that have been drawn up to regulate the general election.
The Asean leaders told the Burmese premier that they wanted the country to engage with either the association or the United Nations to help prepare for the election, said Mr Surin.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty M Natalegawa said Indonesia was happy to share its own experiences of national development.
"We want to express our hope that everything in Burma can take place in a good way," he said, adding that Indonesia had always been keen to learn more about significant situations in other Asean countries.
"We want to find out if the election preparation will ensure that the election is carried out in a democratic, transparent and inclusive way," he said.
Asean leaders at the summit, especially those from the Mekong region, said they were satisfied with the outcome of the first Mekong summit held in Hua Hin district last week.
Mr Dung said people living in Mekong countries would benefit from the development of the river and related resources.
Indonesia put itself forward to host next year's Asean summit after swapping with Brunei.
Indonesia was initially supposed to chair the group and host the summit in 2013 but Mr Surin said the country had to prepare for other major international conferences that year so it wanted to relieve itself of the burden. All the Asean leaders supported the change.
Source :http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/35886/leaders-urge-burma-to-hold-free-fair-poll
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