ASEAN cautious on East Timor membership<\/p>\n
Chris Foley, Agence France-Presse, Singapore<\/p>\n
East Timor's arrival as a sovereign state has bolstered its claim
\nto a seat at the ASEAN table, but the 10-nation bloc faces deep
\nsoul-searching on whether to provide the extra chair.<\/p>\n
As the world's newest nation, East Timor is eager for instant
\nrecognition at international forums and the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has become an obvious and
\nimmediate target.<\/p>\n
But ASEAN's desire to embrace the entire region in recent
\nyears has led to questions about its effectiveness and stinging
\naccusations it was hamstrung by \"institutional paralysis\" because
\nof its golden rule of consensus.<\/p>\n
Myanmar, whose 1997 admission to ASEAN drew wide condemnation
\nbecause of reported human rights abuses, most recently used the
\nconsensus requirement to block Dili from observer status when
\nASEAN foreign ministers met in February.<\/p>\n
Ironically, Myanmar held out because of East Timorese leaders'
\n\"past dealings\" with Myanmar opposition forces led by Aung San
\nSuu Kyi. Three months later Myanmar released Aung San Suu Kyi
\nfrom 19 months under house arrest.<\/p>\n
Myanmar's ruling junta on Monday denied it had blocked
\nobserver status for East Timor and said it must simply follow
\nprocedures.<\/p>\n
\"It is not correct to say that Myanmar is objecting to the
\nattainment of ASEAN observer status by East Timor,\" a junta
\nspokesman said. \"Our stand regarding East Timor's application is
\nsimply that it must follow set procedure.<\/p>\n
\"First, there must be consensus on the question. Next, there
\nare certain steps and procedures to be followed before a nation
\ncan become an observer in ASEAN.<\/p>\n
\"These steps include the acceptance and adherence of the
\nprinciples enshrined in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.
\n\"Therefore, East Timor must be in a position to fulfill its
\nobligations.\"<\/p>\n
East Timor has been given \"guest\" status for the July ASEAN
\nRegional Forum in Brunei where its application will again be
\ndiscussed, but Singapore Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar warned
\nthere would be no rushed decision.<\/p>\n
\"I believe it will proceed cautiously ... step by step,\" he
\nsaid, adding ASEAN would like to focus more on consolidation
\nbefore accepting new members.<\/p>\n
There was also the issue of whether East Timor seriously
\nwanted to be a member of ASEAN or was after quick access to
\nmember countries and international confirmation of its new
\nstatus.<\/p>\n
\"There are competing voices within Dili, where there have been
\nquestions about the non-democratic tendencies of ASEAN,\" a
\nSingapore-based political scientist specializing in ASEAN
\nanalysis told AFP.<\/p>\n
East Timor had previously criticized ASEAN as being pro-
\nJakarta, ignoring the drive for self-determination, and failing
\nto prevent Indonesian military-backed militias conducting a wave
\nof violence and murder after the 1999 independence vote.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest critics was Jose Ramos Horta, East Timor's
\nnew foreign minister and a now strident voice for ASEAN observer
\nstatus now, and a full role in five years.<\/p>\n
There were also problems with Indonesia, despite President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri attending the independence celebrations,
\nthe Singapore-based analyst said.<\/p>\n
\"Megawati's appearance at the flag-raising ceremony could be
\nseen as (ASEAN membership being) a fait accompli, at least at a
\nformal level.<\/p>\n
\"But some in the Indonesian military are not happy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The division in the existing ASEAN ranks was highlighted soon
\nafter East Timor made its intentions known in late 1999, when
\nCambodian leader Hun Sen reportedly said: \"Some leaders do not
\nwant East Timor as part of ASEAN.\"<\/p>\n
After Myanmar blocked the observer status request in February,
\na Filipino official said there had also been misgivings in ASEAN
\nover the \"political, administrative and logistical implications
\nof East Timor's eventual membership\".<\/p>\n
East Timor is also keen to join the proposed West Pacific
\nForum (WPF) being considered by Indonesia and Australia, \"as long
\nas that does not mean exclusion from ASEAN\", Horta said, adding
\nthat he had been told by some ASEAN countries, which he did not
\nidentify, that WPF membership would exclude East Timor from
\nASEAN.<\/p>\n
Observer status, now enjoyed by Papua New Guinea, would allow
\nEast Timor to attend ASEAN's annual ministerial meetings and hold
\ninformal consultations with the group.<\/p>\n
ASEAN, formed in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,
\nLaos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
\nVietnam.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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