ASEAN to agree to give Myanmar chairmanship in 2014 ; Southeast Asian leaders on Sunday will agree on Sunday to allow Myanmar to chair the 10-member ASEAN group in 2014, a draft statement seen by Reuters said, a move likely to spur protests from Western nations and rights groups.
Myanmar held elections earlier this year to switch from military to civilian rule, leading the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to push the United States and Europe to drop sanctions against it.
But many observers dismissed the election as a sham that has kept the generals in power behind the scenes.
"(We) consented to the proposal of Myanmar that it would host the ASEAN summits in 2014, in view of its firm commitment and dedication to implement the ASEAN community building as well as to ASEAN solidarity," said the draft statement to be released on Sunday.
The draft added that ASEAN leaders supported the "steady progress and political developments in Myanmar" after it held general elections and formed a new government in March, calling the ballot "successful".
ASEAN has in the past, along with Western nations, called on Myanmar to include pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in any political solution, and so the decision appears to be a change of stance. --- Read More
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