ASEAN foreign ministers discuss Myanmar, seek dialogue with China

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said in Bali on Tuesday they wanted to support Myanmar in hosting the 2014 summit and agreed on the need for talks with China on the territorial dispute in the South China Sea in the coming daysThe foreign ministers of the ten ASEAN member countries kicked off a week of meetings on Tuesday morning on the Indonesian resort island ahead of a summit that will bring together not only ASEAN leaders but heads of state of China, the United States, Russia and various other countries.After the day-long meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters on behalf of all of the foreign ministers that ASEAN sought to encourage Myanmar in its attempts at reforms.Myanmars government is said to be preparing to release more prisoners, possibly including political detainees, very soon under an amnesty deal. The move has been welcomed by the West as a sign that the junta might start to ease their strict control of the country after five decades of military rule. If the prisoners are released, the move would strengthen the idea of Myanmar chairing the 2014 ASEAN presidency.Those have spoken and all have spoken, I think, they all recognized the important and significant developments that are taking place in Myanmar in the recent past and wanting to maintain that momentum. And the idea of Myanmar chairing ASEAN 2014, for many, it represents part of that momentum building, said Natalegawa.Political watchers say hosting the summit would help to satisfy the juntas craving for legitimacy and help it present a case for concrete assistance from international financial institutions to overhaul the resource-rich countrys long-stagnant economy.Regarding the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, Natalegawa said there should be talks with China on the issue.