Transcript Of Doorstop Interview with Minister George Yeo And Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda On 2 November 2007, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

Minister Yeo: I'm going down to Indonesia next week to open a school in Aceh and to put in a few call in Jakarta. I asked to meet Pak Hassan in Jakarta to discuss the coming ASEAN Summit and the related Summits. But Pak Hassan is heading off to New York because Indonesia is going to hold a very important appointment as the President of the UN Security Council. Pak Hassan is going there for this purpose so he suggested that we meet in Singapore instead.

We had a very good meeting going over our priorities for the coming Summit. It is a very important Summit for us because we are signing the ASEAN Charter which will set the region onto a new course. Of course we also discussed Myanmar and the importance of their being progress there. Myanmar is coming to sign the Charter and the Charter should represent a new beginning for all of us in ASEAN. The Gambari visit which all of us support, would be critical. He is going there on 3 November. We fully expect that progress would be made as a result of his visit and that when we all meet together for the signing of the Charter and discuss other related issues of the region that some progress would have been made in Myanmar.

Indonesia of course, has a special role in Myanmar. I did not know but Pak Hassan told me that right at the beginning of the Indonesian revolution, Myanmar played a supportive role and Prime Minister U Nu turned up in Bandung for the very historic meeting. Indonesia's own transition from being a military authoritarian regime to full fledge constitution democracy is an inspiring one. I hope that Myanmar can look at the positive examples of many countries and move effectively towards a national reconciliation, engage in a serious dialogue with Aung Sang Suu Kyi, NLB and all the other parties and move forward. In doing this, as members of ASEAN family we will give the government and people of Myanmar our fullest support. In all this, the regional countries play and important role - China, India, Japan together with ASEAN. But the key here is strengthening Gambari's hand and giving him a strong set of cards so that he can do his good work in Myanmar, be a good mediator and catalyse the process which should bring the country forward.

I really want to thank Pak Hassan for his friendship. We had a wonderful meeting of minds and we said that we will consult closely all the way up to the Summit, during the Summit and beyond. Perhaps, I would let Pak Hassan say a few words.

Wirajuda: First, (inaudible) I wish to welcome Pak George on his visit to Jakarta but as I am on the way to New York, in particular to chair the discussions in the Security Council on Tuesday, 6th November, we thought it would be efficient for both of us to meet this evening. We do appreciate the preparations that Singapore as host has made to make the ASEAN Summit a success. Especially as this Summit is not as many ASEAN Summits we had before because of forty years of ASEAN existence. In addition to the ASEAN Summit and related Summits, ASEAN plus Three, East Asia Summit, this time we are going to sign an ASEAN Charter. That is why we have a shared interest to make this Summit a great success. Of course, unlike the previous Summits, the world is looking at us very closely on what ASEAN is doing in particular with regard to the question of Myanmar.

Behind the scenes, I would say there has been quite an active process. Pak George went to China, Japan and next week to India. But also among colleagues, the foreign ministers of ASEAN have kept in touch, one to another. It is good because the world expects ASEAN to play a role to help find a solution to the Myanmar problem. After all, Myanmar is an ASEAN member.

That is why it is the responsibility, including the responsibility of my colleagues, the ASEAN Chair, how within the limits of time from now to the Summit that ASEAN continues to engage Myanmar. ASEAN can then expect a credible forward process that the government of Myanmar could show us and the rest of the world that through active engagement with ASEAN and some countries in Asia that we can solve the problem.

So it is with this positive note actually that we concluded the meeting and for that matter we can show to the rest of the international community that ASEAN has a role to play and will continue to play the role.

Question: Will you be taking any particular message to the UNSC meeting about the situation in Myanmar?

Wirajuda: Not in a formal meeting because the theme of the discussion is not Myanmar. The thematic topic is on the role of subregional and regional organisations to support and contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. In fact from our perspective, the Chair and Indonesia, it is important for the rest of the world to know as well that through ASEAN working together with other dialogue partners, we have enjoyed for forty years peace and security that have allowed us countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia to focus our energy, time and resources for economic development. That is progress. But more than the situation of Southeast Asia, through ASEAN's contribution, particularly through the ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN contributes to the larger regions of East Asia, Asia Pacific and for that matter the United Nations.

Question: Minister Yeo when you say that you want to see some progress from envoy Gambari's visit. What would you consider as tangible progress out of the 3 November meeting?

Minister Yeo: It would be good if he meets both sides, pass some messages and begins a process of engagement. They are drafting a new constitution and that new constitution should be drafted with all parties involved. I think if would be good too if we would could hear what Aung San Su Kyi and NLD have got to say.

Question: Any formal word from the Myanmar PM, whether he is coming or not coming?

Minister Yeo: No, we are expecting him to come. We are working on that basis. Thank you.

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