ARF opens with informal dinner<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) began yesterday
\nevening with an informal working dinner attended by the
\nparticipating foreign ministers.<\/p>\n
They were seated together at an elongated table in
\nalphabetical order with most donning batik shirts. Others, such
\nas Ireland's Dick Spring and U.S. Secretary of State Warren
\nChristopher, wore suits to the dinner hosted by Indonesia's Ali
\nAlatas.<\/p>\n
Although the mood was relaxed and casual yesterday, officials
\nsaid that the talking would get tougher at today's one-day
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
The ARF is a multilateral political and security consultative
\nforum established by the seven members of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
\nthe Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Other ARF participants include Cambodia, Laos, Papua New
\nGuinea and Myanmar as ASEAN observers, along with dialog partners
\nAustralia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand,
\nRussia, the United States and the European Union.<\/p>\n
India and Myanmar will be participating for the first time
\nhaving had their status recently elevated.<\/p>\n
The ARF is designed as a free-wheeling forum for discussion
\nbut a number of important issues in the region are expected to be
\ndiscussed.<\/p>\n
One in particular is the issue of Myanmar. Several of ASEAN's
\ndialog partners met yesterday with Myanmarese Foreign Minister U
\nOhn Gyaw.<\/p>\n
Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring, after his meeting with Ohn
\nGyaw, said he had expressed the European Union's concern over the
\ndomestic situation in Myanmar and also discussed the importance
\nof further meetings with Yangon.<\/p>\n
Spring is here as chairman of the council of ministers of the
\nEuropean Union.<\/p>\n
Australia's Alexander Downer said he expressed Canberra's
\nconcern to Ohn Gyaw, but would not say whether he would
\nofficially take up the issue at the meeting today.<\/p>\n
When asked about Myanmar's participation in the ARF, Downer
\nsaid \"it would be a mistake to keep people out of the ARF on the
\ngrounds of their substantial political differences between us and
\nthem.\"<\/p>\n
Another topic which is expected to be raised by ASEAN members
\nthemselves is the sea-baselines in the South China Sea recently
\nlegislated by Beijing.<\/p>\n
ASEAN states have expressed their concern about the baselines
\nand maintained that they have no basis since China is a
\ncontinental, not archipelagic, state.<\/p>\n
The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Shen Guofang, told
\njournalists yesterday that experts in Beijing had carried out
\nextensive studies before drawing the baselines.<\/p>\n
\"Of course there are some countries that hold different views
\non this, (but) we are willing to exchange views with them,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
When pressed by journalists on whether he thought China was an
\narchipelagic state, Guofang replied: \"China has a very
\ncomplicated sea bank and characteristics...That's why we consider
\nthe characteristics and complicated factors, that why we
\npublished our baseline.\"<\/p>\n
The issue was also discussed when Alatas held private talks
\nwith his Chinese counterpart Qian Qichen yesterday afternoon.<\/p>\n
According to Guofang there is no dispute between Indonesia and
\nChina on the issue. The Chinese spokesperson did not elaborate,
\nand said that it was only a big issue in the press.<\/p>\n
ASEAN states are also expected to press the issue of the
\nSoutheast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty which
\nthe United States has continued to reject.<\/p>\n
The Third ARF will be held this morning at the Jakarta
\nConvention Center. Ministers will be seated in rattan chairs
\narranged in a circle facing each other.<\/p>\n
Other officials will be gathered in a separate room where they
\nwill monitor the discussions a live television linkup.<\/p>\n
After lunch the ARF ministers will attend an audience with
\nPresident Soeharto at the State Palace after which they will
\nreturn to finish their morning discussions. (pwn\/mds)<\/p>\n
More stories on Page 2 and 3<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/arf-opens-with-informal-dinner-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }