UK boycotts ASEAN ceremony

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25: Britain8217;s High Commissioner to Malaysia David Moss boycotted a ceremony here to admit Burma into the Association of South-East Asian Nations ASEAN, a British embassy official said today.

Bearing in mind the state of relations between Britain and Burma at the moment, it was inappropriate for him to go, Steve Bridges, acting Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia, said.

Bridges said the High Commissioner was instructed by the foreign office in London to boycott the ASEAN admission formalities for Burma, whose Government has been widely accused of human rights violations.

8220;If the British High Commissioner chooses to stay away from the reception, that was his prerogative 8212; but I don8217;t think it8217;s going to affect ASEAN-European Union EU relations in any way,8221; ASEAN secretary-general Ajit Singh of Malaysia said.