ASEAN's credibility<\/p>\n
In the diplomatic efforts to secure stability in Cambodia,
\nASEAN has accepted the reality of Second Prime Minister Hun Sen's
\ncoup. Equally it has accepted the primacy of the position adopted
\nby several Western countries -- Australia included -- that Hun
\nSen should honor the 1991 Paris peace accords, that there should
\nbe free elections by May next year, that the royalist FUNCINPEC
\nparty should continue to function, and that there should be a
\nreturn to co-premiership in Cambodia.<\/p>\n
It is encouraging that Cambodian Foreign Minister Ung Huot has
\nasked for outside assistance in holding the May 1998 elections
\nand suggested the presence of foreign observers. He has painted
\nthe military overthrow of First Prime Minister Prince Norodom
\nRanariddh not as a fight between two rival political parties --
\nHun Sen's Cambodian People's Party and FUNCINPEC -- but as a
\nlegitimate action aimed at curbing Khmer Rouge hardliners.<\/p>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright appears to have
\nbacked away from a previous hardline stance about coordinated
\ninternational action on Myanmar and Cambodia. But she has
\nchallenged ASEAN to play a greater role in improving the human
\nrights performance of the repressive Myanmarese regime,
\nconsidering ASEAN rejected strong U.S. objections in accepting
\nMyanmar as a member.<\/p>\n
Dr. Albright rightly noted that Myanmar's problems now become
\nASEAN's problems. The message for Myanmar is obvious: ASEAN
\nexpects tangible results to flow from its membership. Yet,
\nequally clearly, ASEAN will not intervene directly to secure
\npolitical change in Yangon. Hun Sen is plainly hostile to outside
\ninterference. He is prickly, contrary and unpredictable.
\nTherefore he holds the key to whether ASEAN's new mantle of
\nregional leadership can turn into long-term diplomatic power.<\/p>\n
There is substantial incentive in the form of Cambodia's
\nfuture ASEAN membership and the threat of economic
\nnoncooperation. But if Hun Sen rejects ASEAN involvement it will
\nbe deeply embarrassing for the organization. It will suffer
\ndiminished international credibility while its claim to have
\nestablished a moral superiority in facing down the West on Asian
\nissues will be severely eroded.<\/p>\n
-- The Australian<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aseans-credibility-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }