Date: 23 June 2003

Responder: Downer, Alexander, MP (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade)

Mr DOWNER — while there are differences of approach on the issue of Burma between members of the ASEAN Regional Forum, there is not a difference of objective. The fact is that I was able, like a number of other foreign ministers, to use my bilateral meeting with the Burmese Foreign Minister, Win Aung, to reiterate Australia's deep concern about the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the National League for Democracy and to call for her immediate release. I was actually quite interested that the Burmese Foreign Minister, having been hit with these representations from a number of countries, was able to say that he would take these messages straight back to Rangoon and that he thought the leadership there would be interested to hear what the tone of this important international conference was.

In conclusion to the member's question, there is a lot of interest in ASEAN and a lot of enthusiasm among the dialogue partners as well for the issues that we are very engaged in: North Korea, terrorism and making sure those particular human rights concerns in the region—concerns such as Burma—are constructively, aggressively and hopefully in the fullness of time—though not so far so good—properly addressed.