The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is expressing concern over Burma's decision to exclude pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from future elections. The statement from ASEAN follows the completion of Burma's draft constitution. But the regional bloc still says it will not interfere in Burma's domestic affairs.

東南亞國家聯(lián)盟對緬甸當局有關(guān)不準民主運動領(lǐng)袖昂山素季參加未來選舉的決定表示關(guān)注。東盟是在緬甸通過憲法草案之后發(fā)表聲明的。不過，東盟仍然表示不會干預緬甸的內(nèi)部事務(wù)。

Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo says Burma's decision to bar Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in elections is odd and out of date. Singapore currently holds ASEAN's rotating leadership. Yeo spoke late Tuesday in Singapore, where foreign ministers from the 10-member organization are holding meetings.

新加坡外長楊榮文說，緬甸當局決定禁止昂山素季參加選舉是奇怪的、過時的。新加坡目前是東盟的輪值主席。楊榮文星期二晚間在新加坡發(fā)表講話。東盟10國正在新加坡舉行外長會議。

But, in keeping with ASEAN's history of non-interference in member states' affairs, Yeo also said the group could do little about Burma's decision.

楊榮文同時表示，遵照東盟不干涉成員國內(nèi)部事務(wù)的傳統(tǒng)，東盟對緬甸當局的這項決定幾乎不能采取任何行動。

On Tuesday, Burma's state-run radio said a 54-member commission had approved the draft constitution. It prohibits Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in elections because she was married to a foreigner. The democracy leader was married to a British national, who died of cancer in 1999.

緬甸官方電臺星期二說，由54人組成的委員會已經(jīng)批準了憲法草案。憲法草案規(guī)定，鑒于昂山素季與外國人結(jié)婚，因此不得參加選舉。這位民主運動領(lǐng)袖與一個英國公民結(jié)婚，她的丈夫已于1999年死于癌癥。

Roshan Jason is executive director of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus in Malaysia. He said ASEAN's statement on Burma was weak, especially since it recently signed a charter that calls on member states to protect human rights in the region.

羅山.賈森是東盟設(shè)在馬來西亞的緬甸問題議會委員會負責人。他說，東盟針對緬甸發(fā)表的聲明是軟弱無力的，考慮到東盟最近剛剛簽署了敦促成員國保護本地區(qū)人權(quán)的憲章，尤其是這樣。

"I think ASEAN has failed in its first attempt to uphold its promises to make sure the region consists of countries which respect human rights," said Jason.

他說：“我認為，東盟在首次做出嘗試的時候，就沒有履行有關(guān)確保本地區(qū)各國都尊重人權(quán)的承諾。”

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 12 of the last 18 years under detention, and is currently under house arrest in Rangoon. Her party won a landslide election in 1990, but the military government refused to recognize the results. Since then, it has prevented the party from taking office.

在以往18年期間，昂山素季受到12年拘押，目前被軟禁在仰光。她的黨在1990年選舉中獲得壓倒勝利，但軍政權(quán)拒絕承認選舉結(jié)果。此后，軍政權(quán)一直不準這個黨的成員擔任公職。

Jason said he does not expect ASEAN to take a stronger stance anytime soon, because addressing human rights in Burma could force other member states to acknowledge their own shortcomings.

賈森說，他不指望東盟會很快采取更強硬的立場，因為一旦涉及緬甸的人權(quán)問題，就會迫使其他國家承認本國的缺點。

"You have countries in the region as well, member states of ASEAN, who have, who are in their own way, levels, committing human rights abuses," noted Jason. "You've got draconian laws in various countries; you've got arbitrary arrests; you've got former military dictatorships taking the form of civil, political groups."

他說：“本地區(qū)還有東盟的其他成員國，這些國家也存在侵犯人權(quán)現(xiàn)象，只是方式和水平不同。一些國家存在嚴酷的法律，存在任意逮捕現(xiàn)象，一些前軍事獨裁政權(quán)換用了文官和政治組織的形式。”

Jason also says the bloc is choosing money over the basic rights of Burma's people, as many ASEAN members have strong business interests in Burma. ASEAN has argued that trade will help bring about reform in Burma, one of the poorest countries in the region.

賈森還說，很多東盟成員國在緬甸有著很大的商業(yè)利益，因此把金錢置于緬甸人民的基本人權(quán)之上。東盟堅持認為，貿(mào)易將有助于緬甸實行民主。緬甸是東南亞最貧窮的國家之一。

Burma says it will hold a national referendum in May to approve the new draft constitution. The international community has criticized the document because Aung San Suu Kyi and independent political parties were barred from the drafting process. Burma's military government says general elections will be held in 2010.

緬甸表示，將在今年5月舉行一次全民公投，決定是否批準新憲法草案。昂山素季和獨立政治黨派被禁止參與這部憲法的起草過程，因此憲法草案受到國際社會的批評。緬甸軍政府說，將在2010年舉行大選。