BANGKOK, December 27: Laos will soon submit its application to join a cooperation pact between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union, a report said here Saturday.The expected move would come amid a spat between Asian and European nations on military-run Burma's participation in inter-regional cooperation following this year's admission of Rangoon and Vientiane to ASEAN.The remote and landlocked Southeast Asian country will apply to Thailand - the coordinator of ASEAN-EU cooperation - to join the pact, Laotian Foreign Minister Sonsavat Lengsavad told the Bangkok Post. A Bangkok official was, meanwhile, quoted as saying that the application, which will allow Laos to join all ASEAN-EU meetings and activities, was expected to be submitted ``soon''.``All ASEAN members need to Express their intention to cooperate with the European Union,'' Somsavat said.The Bangkok Post quoted an unidentified source as saying that the Philippines, as the chairman of the ASEAN standing committee, had asked the European Union to extend a protocol on the ASEAN-EU cooperation agreement to Laos and Burma.Both countries were admitted as the eighth and ninth members of ASEAN at a meeting in Malaysia in July. But a fiery row has since blown up between ASEAN and Europe over the participation of Burma in ASEAN-Europe meetings, a furore which forced the postponement of a gathering here in October.Europe strongly opposes the participation of Burma in the meetings, saying that while it has joined ASEAN it has not signed the 1980 co-operation protocol and should not be invited to do so because of its human rights record.ASEAN countries, notably Thailand, insisted that Burma - and Laos - at least be allowed to attend the meeting as observers, a move firmly resisted by Europe. The meeting, scheduled to be held in Bangkok, will now likely go ahead in February, the paper said.The Laotian minister however praised Burma's junta for ``trying to develop the country,'' the Post said.Somasavat said ASEAN-EU coperation between the members of the nine and 25-strong groupings respectively, should be conducted on a collegial basis rather than count ry-to-country.However Vientiane will put off its bid to join the 25-member Asia-Europe Meetingforum (ASEM) for ``a while'' on the advice of ASEAN which Laos joined in July, he said.``If we send our application now it will be meaningless because the current membership will not consider it,'' he said.ASEM is due to meet for its next summit in London in 1998 as European nations uphold a strict visa ban on Burmese officials and their families.ASEAN groups Brunei, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, SingaporE, Thailand and Vietnam. It is comprised of seven of the ASEAN nations, the 15 members of the European Union as well as China, Japan and South Korea.Apart from Burma and Laos, Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan are also Reportedly seeking ASEM membership.
