Asian nations don't want human rights pressure

MOSCOW, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- In May, the government of Myanmar, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the United Nations released the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment. The PONJA report provides the first comprehensive picture and objective analysis of the May 2-3 cyclone that left 138,000 people in Myanmar dead or missing.

The PONJA report includes facts and figures, while media attacks on Myanmar are nothing but empty words.

The PONJA report does not mention hunger or health epidemics, which the media allege have begun and which they blame on the Myanmar government.

The weeklong ministerial meeting in Singapore of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations began with extensive discussions of Cyclone Nargis and the PONJA report. While ASEAN analysts were preparing the report, diplomats tried to persuade Myanmar leaders to stop the hysterics and accept foreign aid. Illogically, the regime ordered troops to protect the country from U.S. warships carrying humanitarian aid.

Singapore, which at present holds the rotating ASEAN presidency, organized the diplomatic action. Foreign Minister George Yeo has given significant interviews before the report's publication, saying the Association of Southeast Asian Nations decided to "separate politics from humanitarian efforts and concentrate on helping the people first."

Assistance to Myanmar, which is "part of the family," he said, "lays the groundwork" for change there, including the 2010 elections. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is doing its best to encourage such change.

Nobody can accuse Singapore of anti-Western paranoia. "We must always keep our doors open to the Americans, to the Europeans, to everybody; this is an open house," George Yeo said, meaning that the action to help Myanmar was not anti-American but pro-ASEAN.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has a similar ideology. The point at issue is not about allowing foreigners into Central or Southeast Asia; what matters is who calls the tune: regional, local or foreign politicians.

The ASEAN ministerial meeting in Singapore also addressed the territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, which is another useful example for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as Tajikistan again quarreled with Uzbekistan shortly before the meeting in Dushanbe.

There are no regional associations where all member states love each other without distinction. On the contrary, the more there are neighbors, the more frequently they argue. But neighbors also have common interests, and their organizations should know how to protect these interests.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization should be grateful to Singapore for providing this example.

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(Dmitry Kosyrev is a political commentator for the RIA Novosti news agency. This article is reprinted by permission of RIA Novosti. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.)

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(United Press International's "Outside View" commentaries are written by outside contributors who specialize in a variety of important issues. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of United Press International. In the interests of creating an open forum, original submissions are invited.)