Myanmar steps into international role at ASEAN helm

Myanmar begins its first international political role in decades this week as host of Southeast Asia's regional bloc, with experts warning against "over-inflated" expectations as the group grapples with territorial disputes and ambitious economic integration plans.
The country will host foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for an informal meeting on Friday in the ancient capital Bagan- the first major gathering of the group under Myanmar's debut year-long stewardship.
The long-isolated country has won international praise and the removal of most Western sanctions for wide-ranging reforms since the end of junta rule nearly three years ago, raising the promise of an investment boom.

The former pariah state has freed political prisoners, welcomed opposition parties into parliament and launched economic reforms.
Fresh from hosting the World Economic Forum on East Asia and Southeast Asian Games in the sprawling remote capital Naypyidaw last year, the country is confident that it can meet the diplomatic and logistical challenge of hosting the regional bloc, despite its creaking infrastructure.
"Myanmar is ready for the ASEAN chairmanship," said Than Htut, a senior official at the national planning ministry.

"ASEAN is a rising star in the world's politics and economy. We hope that our chairmanship will support that," he said, adding that businesses had donated a fleet of BMW cars and limousines to ferry delegates to meetings.

Sean Turnell, associate professor at Australia's Macquarie University, said that while Myanmar has previously been seen as a drain on the bloc, it now "promises to make a positive contribution".
"The biggest danger to Myanmar in being ASEAN chair might be over-inflated expectations," he told AFP, adding that the country's successful management of the Southeast Asian Games could raise unrealistic hopes of its ability to tackle strategically substantive challenges.
"The international community didn't expect much from (previous chairs) Laos, Cambodia etc, so these countries quite easily exceeded expectations. This might not be the case for Myanmar," he said.
In 2006, Myanmar was forced to renounce the ASEAN rotating presidency in the face of criticism of its rights record and the then-ruling junta's failure to shift to democracy.

Myanmar's eagerness to take the chair this year- jumping in ahead of Laos - is a signal the government wants to "step up the process of opening up to the region and outside world", said Southeast Asia expert Carl Thayer.
He said Myanmar would largely follow a pre-set agenda and would not be "out of its depth" at the helm.