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Current political conditions in Myanmar make a free-trade deal between the United States and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) impossible in the near term, US Trade Representative Susan Schwab said.

The relationship 'can't be business as usual,' she said as ASEAN readied for Tuesday's signing of a landmark charter giving the 40- year-old regional grouping legal status and committing the members to pursuing human rights, democracy and a blueprint for economic integration by 2015.

ASEAN leaders recognize that the bloc's reputation and credibility have been undermined by the situation in military-ruled Myanmar, where troops fired on peaceful protesters in September, killing at least 15.

Schwab, who is on a two-day visit to Singapore, met Monday with economic ministers to discuss progress made under the US-ASEAN Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement, signed a year ago.

'The issue of Burma did come up, and I expressed our concern,' she told reporters. 'ASEAN has special responsibility when it comes to the situation in Burma.'

Despite the US Senate's unanimous vote Friday, urging ASEAN to suspend Myanmar until the regime shows respect for human rights, ASEAN is dealing with the issue within the 'family.'

ASEAN leaders have called off a planned summit briefing by UN Special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, scheduled for Wednesday, after Myanmar objected.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in the city-state's capacity as ASEAN chairman, said Myanmar made it clear that it prefers to deal directly with the United Nations, and ASEAN leaders respect its wishes.

Singapore had invited Gambari to brief ASEAN leaders and their counterparts from China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The US has a free-trade agreement with Singapore. It also has trade and investment framework arrangements (TIFA) with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Ten-member ASEAN signed a TIFA deal in August 2006, regarded as a precursor to liberalizing trade.

'The fact that we have a TIFA with ASEAN means we have the potential for creating the building blocks down the road,' Schwab said.

ASEAN includes Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.





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