Sadly, the Mynamar military government is probably beyond persuasion. Neither a move towards democracy nor rapprochement with foreign critics can add to the benefits obtained by this power-mad kleptocracy from maintaining their stranglehold. The once-envied economy has been in continuous decline since the 1962 coup, and the people are poor and oppressed. On my last visit, Soviet-style banner slogans and the government press were exhorting the people to embrace their proposed constitutional (we keep power) and so-called economic development changes. The latter was to be based on labour-intensive agriculture, hardly a recipe for growth in the 21st C, and a path which would not require a potentially dangerous (for the regime) increase in education of the people.

So, yes, the EU staying away from broader fora because of Myanmar will not help the Burmese people one iota.

But in spite of it all, the Burmese remain among the most harmonious and hospitable of people. The main plus for the country in recent years is the rapid increase in people seriously practising the path taught by the Buddha, rather than confining themselves to devotional observances. The Government controls most of the monks, but this has not stopped the spread of meditation centres which include lay teachers.

I wish Burma had oil so as to ensure the international community felt the need for regime change.

Indeed, it is a great pity that countries like Myanmar and Zimbabwe do not have resources that the West sees as essential. The "international community" seems to feel no moral obligation at all to put together coalitions of the willing to change these evil regimes.

"Verghese Mathews argues the European Union is not engaging with Asia because of Myanmar's involvement in ASEAN".
Not only Myanmar ! But also Laos and Cambodia are frowned upon by EU, and this is right approach. Countries with criminal leaders are not to be met, but embargoed. EU is leader of Human Rights watching, and the best place to meet leaders of some ASEAN countries is the International Court of Justice, where they must be judged as criminals. Same Mr Slobodan Milosevic, Charles Taylor, etc...condemned for crimes against humanity. Some ASEAN leaders are due to follow them to jails.