Islamic extremism and Myanmar on Indonesian talks agenda

[Kiwi]

Islamic extremism and Myanmar on Indonesian talks agenda
5:09AM Tuesday November 20, 2007
By Grant Fleming

Efforts to tackle Islamic extremism are on the agenda for talks between Prime Minister Helen Clark and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono today.

Miss Clark will meet with the Indonesian leader in Singapore ahead of tomorrow's East Asia Summit.

The pair are expected to discuss the progress of two international initiatives aimed at promoting cultural tolerance and moderating the kind of Islamic extremism that led to the terrorist bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali in 2001.

New Zealand has held meetings on two such initiatives - the Regional Interfaith Dialogue and the Alliance of Civilizations - in the past year.

The pair will also discuss Myanmar, with the secretive country's prime minister Thein Sein in Singapore for the summit.

It is the first appearance of a top junta member at an international forum since the regime's violent September crackdown on peaceful protests, which left at least 15 dead and thousands imprisoned.

Miss Clark is expected to ask President Yudhoyono whether Indonesia will use its position as chair of the United Nations Security Council to pressure Myanmar towards democratic reform.

Indonesia holds the council's presidency for the month.

Miss Clark has said she will also raise the issue of Myanmar with China's premier Wen Jiabao late tomorrow night (NZT).

China has previously lent support to the military regime.

Miss Clark said UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who is scheduled to brief summit leaders tomorrow, had won undertakings from the regime to release prisoners and provide access to the Red Cross.

But the pressure needed to be kept up.

"We're prepared to acknowledge the positive points of the Gambari visit, but against a background of saying there is a huge way to go and we do believe that the neighbours have a very very big role to play," she told NZPA.

Myanmar is reported to have been lobbying vigorously behind the scenes to scuttle the briefing.

Miss Clark said she would also raise New Zealand's free-trade negotiations with China as the two countries' self-imposed April 2008 deadline loomed.

Climate change and steps towards a regional free trade zone are the other issues expected to dominate tomorrow's summit, which brings together the 10 Association of South East Asian (Asean) members along with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

- NZPA