Asia worries about instability in Myanmar

By Bill Tarrant

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Asia reacted in alarm on Thursday after soldiers in Myanmar brutally cracked down on anti-government protests, with countries urging restraint and wringing their hands about instability in the region.

But they seemed reluctant to join the United States and Europe in pressing the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on military-ruled Myanmar.

"As a neighbour, China is extremely concerned about the situation in Myanmar," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a news conference.

"We hope that all parties in the Myanmar issue will maintain restraint and appropriately handle the problems that have currently arisen so they do not become more complicated or expand, and don't affect Myanmar's stability and even less affect regional peace and stability."

China, a key trade partner and one of Myanmar's few friends, has long urged stability in Myanmar, but Thursday's comments marked the first time it has called for restraint.

As member of the Security Council, China has so far refused to support proposed U.N. sanctions, saying the situation in the country formerly known as Burma did not constitute a threat to international peace and security.

JAPAN SUMMONS AMBASSADOR

Japan, once the biggest aid donor to Burma, said on Thursday it will summon the Myanmar ambassador to protest after security forces raided monasteries in Yangon and elsewhere following the anti-military uprising, the top government spokesman said. "What Myanmar is doing is wrong," Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura told reporters. But he said Tokyo would observe the situation for a while before deciding whether to impose sanctions.