ASEAN members 'alive again', Indonesia says<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is active
\nagain, and the launching of a free trade area at the start of the
\nyear is going to help catapult the group back into international
\ndiplomacy, Indonesia proclaimed on Monday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda, outlining the
\nchallenges facing Indonesia in 2002, said he detected \"a new
\nsense of activism\" within ASEAN.<\/p>\n
\"This is an ASEAN that has come back from a crisis situation,\"
\nhe told journalists in a meeting to reflect on the achievements
\nof 2001 and the challenges his office faces in 2002.<\/p>\n
As the largest member, Indonesia has been regarded as the
\nnatural leader of the regional grouping, now in its 34th year.<\/p>\n
The group's international prominence ebbed after the financial
\ncrisis that struck Asia in 1997, with Indonesia the worst
\naffected as political turmoil descended.<\/p>\n
Hassan, a career diplomat appointed by President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri when she formed her Cabinet in August, reiterated
\nJakarta's long standing policy of making ASEAN the cornerstone of
\nits diplomacy.<\/p>\n
But while focusing on the region, this in no way would dampen
\nASEAN's outward-looking spirit, and Indonesia would continue to
\nforge close relationships with countries outside the region,
\nparticularly its major trading partners, he said.<\/p>\n
He said a series of activities held by ASEAN in 2001,
\nincluding the regional summit in Bandar Sri Begawan in November
\nand the launching of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) on Jan. 1,
\ncame just as certain parties cast doubts about ASEAN's relevance.<\/p>\n
In spite of the low-key launch of AFTA, major economies in
\nAsia, including Japan, South Korea and China have all expressed
\ninterest in joining this process of closer economic integration
\nbetween countries in the region, he said.<\/p>\n
Several concepts had been bandied about, from an \"ASEAN-China
\nFree Trade\", \"East Asia Free Trade\" to talks of forming an \"East
\nAsian Community\", he noted.<\/p>\n
AFTA involves six of ASEAN's 10 member countries, with the
\nremaining four joining in by 2008. Under the free trade
\nagreement, the six participants -- Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia,
\nthe Philippines, Singapore and Thailand -- will cut import
\ntariffs for most goods to between zero and 5 percent.<\/p>\n
\"Contrary to what skeptics have said about our readiness to
\nface AFTA, data shows Indonesia is well prepared, in terms of its
\ncompetitive edge and trade,\" Hassan said.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that Indonesia's trade with the rest of ASEAN
\nhas been growing at a steady rate of 12.35 percent a year, with
\nIndonesia running an overall surplus.<\/p>\n
There were at least 28 types of products with which Indonesia
\nhas a comparative advantage over other ASEAN countries, he said,
\nciting plywood, yarn, steel sheet, aluminum products, shoes and
\nglass products as examples.<\/p>\n
After ASEAN, Indonesia's next foreign policy priority would be
\nwith its Pacific neighbors, including East Timor, Hassan said.<\/p>\n
A new forum, called the South West Pacific Dialog, a concept
\nfirst broached by Megawati's predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid, would
\nbe launched in the middle of the year.<\/p>\n
Indonesia would host a series of important meetings in
\nFebruary, including a ministerial-level meeting with East Timor
\nand a consultative meeting involving Indonesia, Australia and
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
A regional conference, jointly sponsored with Australia, would
\nbe held in Bali in February to discuss the problem of people
\nsmuggling and trading, and other international crimes.<\/p>\n
Hassan said he had sent out invitations to his counterparts in
\n35 countries, including Central Asian countries where the
\nproblems emerged.<\/p>\n
The new Afghanistan government had also been invited.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been used as a transit point for Central Asian
\npeople seeking asylum in Australia.<\/p>\n
Busy schedule in RI's diplomacy<\/p>\n
* Consultation meeting in Bali in February involving
\nIndonesia, East Timor and Australia.<\/p>\n
* Ministerial level meeting with East Timor in Bali in
\nFebruary.<\/p>\n
* Regional conference on people smuggling and trade in Bali in
\nFebruary.<\/p>\n
* Launching of the South West Pacific Dialog forum (comprising
\nIndonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand
\nand the Philippines) in mid- year.<\/p>\n
State guests: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (Jan.
\n12), Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (Jan. 17),
\nAustralian Prime Minister John Howard (February).<\/p>\n
President Megawati's foreign trips: China, South Korea and
\nNorth Korea, and India in March\/April.<\/p>\n
Hassan's foreign trip: Papua New Guinea (January).<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-members-alive-again-indonesia-says-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }