MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has followed New Zealand’s decision to reject the inclusion of Burma (also known as Myanmar) in the world’s largest free trade pact as international opposition to the military takeover that sparked violence and democratic setbacks in the Southeast Asian nation broadened into trade and diplomatic sanctions. Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. told his Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts in a Thursday meeting in Cambodia that the Philippines will not accept Burma’s “instrument of ratification” of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, referring to the key document binding a country to the 15-nation free trade agreement, which went into effect on Jan. 1. In Locsin’s speech released to journalists in Manila on Friday, he did not cite any reason for the Philippine decision and added he was ready to yield if that stance would get in the way of a collective position by the 10-nation regional bloc, which includes …
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