Myanmar’s newly appointed prime minister, Lieutenant-General Thein Sein, is likely to attend the Asean Summit here next month, said Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo.

Mr Yeo, who is also currently chairman of the Asean Standing Committee, spoke to reporters yesterday after meeting his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner here.

Of the general’s likely presence at the summit, Mr Yeo said: ‘That was the position Myanmar took when he was acting prime minister so I don’t expect any change there.’

In his congratulatory message to the general last Friday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had invited the Myanmar leader to the regional group’s summit, when all 10 Asean members are expected to sign its inaugural charter, which contains provisions for the protection of human rights.

Singapore currently chairs Asean. Myanmar is expected to be a major topic at the summit following the global uproar over the recent unrest in the country which left at least 13 people dead and many others incarcerated indefinitely.

Mr Yeo said yesterday the world might see some improvement in the ruling junta’s attitude before the summit, although the main thing is that such improvement is lasting and not just to ‘stave off pressure while the TV cameras are whirring away, with nothing happening after that’.

He added that Singapore and France are ‘quite well aligned’ on working together ‘to strengthen (Professor Ibrahim) Gambari’s hand in Myanmar’ so the latter could bring about genuine dialogue between the junta and its opponents more quickly. ‘I asked for European support, for French support. I was very happy to receive a very positive response from Minister Kouchner,’ Mr Yeo told reporters, as Dr Kouchner nodded in agreement next to him.

The United Nations had sent Prof Gambari to Myanmar earlier this month to broker a reconciliation between the junta and its political opponents.

Both foreign ministers met the UN envoy here yesterday to learn more about the latest developments in Myanmar.

In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said both Mr Yeo and Prof Gambari agree on the importance of concerted international support for the special envoy’s mission in Myanmar. France and Singapore differ, however, on the effectiveness of economic sanctions against Myanmar. As Mr Yeo put it: ‘Of course, Europe has its own values and Europe must take a strong position consonant with its own value system.’

Asked if there are plans for Singapore banks to cut banking ties with Myanmar’s generals – if any – which some American banks are doing, Mr Yeo reiterated: ‘Singapore is an international financial centre. Whatever policy we apply to Singapore banks must apply to all banks… and whatever international agreements there are on restrictions or prohibitions, we will abide by them.’