A street named ASEAN<\/p>\n
The informal summit of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) in Jakarta this weekend marked another phase in
\nthe region's evolution into a community. In the world community,
\nSoutheast Asia is a neighborhood. It is a street on which there
\nare 10 houses, where 10 families live, some large and some small,
\nsome wealthy and some less so. In a neighborhood, it is
\nimperative for the heads of family to meet now and then, not only
\nto discuss common problems, but also for a chat to renew and
\nstrengthen acquaintances.<\/p>\n
The informal summit on Saturday, the first of its kind, was
\nlike a neighborhood forum. The leaders wore batik shirts just as
\none would here to a neighborhood meeting. The Bentley limousines
\nand the luxury surroundings of the venue, as well as the
\nreporters and the blitz of camera lights, did not spoil the
\nrelaxed atmosphere designed to allow the leaders to discuss
\nwhatever subjects they wanted to raise. There was no prepared
\nagenda, but we can be sure that everyone came with their own list
\nof things to discuss.<\/p>\n
From various statements issued over the weekend, we can gather
\nthat the topics discussed included the association's admission of
\nMyanmar, Laos and Cambodia, ASEAN relations with the European
\nUnion, and the inaugural meeting of the World Trade Organization
\nin Singapore this month.<\/p>\n
Within this Southeast Asian neighborhood, seven families have
\nformed a club they call ASEAN. This is a formal forum to discuss
\ncooperation programs in various fields, from politics and
\neconomics to sociocultural affairs. ASEAN is also the main
\nvehicle or channel through which the seven members voice their
\naspirations to the world community. Their collective voices carry
\nfar greater weight than their individual voices, and is therefore
\nmore effective. ASEAN has been so effective on this front that it
\nis recognized as one of the most successful regional groupings in
\nthe world. This makes ASEAN a prestigious club to join.<\/p>\n
Prior to the informal summit, there was talk about the
\nadmission of Myanmar into ASEAN. Pressure came from non-
\ngovernmental organizations in and outside the region, as well as
\nsome non-ASEAN governments, for ASEAN to reject Myanmar's entry
\non the grounds of Yangon's human rights record, especially
\nconcerning its treatment of pro-democracy groups.<\/p>\n
The seven leaders, as widely expected, reiterated that Myanmar
\nshould be allowed to join. ASEAN is after all a club where the
\nchief criterion for membership is living in the neighborhood. By
\ngeographical definition, Myanmar, like Laos and Cambodia, has an
\nautomatic right to join. Of course, they need the consent of the
\nexisting ASEAN members, but this is a formality. Their entry is
\nsimply a matter of time and is likely to occur once they are
\nacquainted with the various ASEAN processes.<\/p>\n
It has been an ASEAN dream, since its founding in 1967, to
\nbring into the fold all of the 10 countries in the region. Now,
\nwith the demise of the Cold War and its ideological underpinnings
\nthat once divided the region, the dream of a Southeast Asian
\ncommunity is closer to reality.<\/p>\n
The message that came out of Saturday's summit was clear: the
\ndomestic affairs of Myanmar, in spite of international urging,
\nwill not be a factor in considering Myanmar's membership into
\nASEAN. No one can blame ASEAN's members, particularly Indonesia,
\nfor sticking to the long-held principle of not interfering in the
\naffairs of other countries.<\/p>\n
Then again, this neighborhood we call ASEAN does not live in a
\nvacuum. If people on other streets are expressing concerns about
\nwhat is going on in one of the houses on our street, surely we
\nought to listen.<\/p>\n
If anyone should feel the heat of Myanmar's domestic troubles,
\nit will be its neighbors more than those living on some distant
\nstreets. By the same token, if anyone can have any influence on
\nMyanmar, it is its next-door neighbors. The Myanmar government is
\nmore likely to listen to its sympathetic neighbors should there
\nbe concerns about its domestic affairs.<\/p>\n
Though ASEAN's members will decide for themselves how they
\nwant to use their individual relationships with Myanmar, they
\ncannot ignore international opinion altogether.<\/p>",
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