Asian crisis threatens stability<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (Reuters): Asia's financial crisis could undermine
\nregional stability by affecting the military strength of Asia's
\nmiddle and smaller powers, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander
\nDowner said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Downer said Australia did not see any immediate threat of
\nmilitary conflict in the region because of the crisis, but the
\nfull implications would not be seen for some time.<\/p>\n
"We don't think it will have a significant impact on strategic
\nrelativities between the major regional powers of the United
\nStates, China and Japan," Downer told a foreign investor
\nconference in Canberra.<\/p>\n
"But there may be some impact on the relative power of middle
\nand smaller powers and changed economic relativities might
\nundermine the cohesiveness the region had been able to achieve."<\/p>\n
His comments come at a time of heightened tension in parts of
\nthe region. Japan said it had identified two rogue ships which
\nfled after violating its territorial waters last week as North
\nKorean spy ships. North Korea on Monday accused Japan of faking
\nthe incident.<\/p>\n
Diplomatic ties between China and the United States have been
\nstrained after Washington decided to sponsor a United Nations
\nresolution to censure Beijing over human rights abuses.<\/p>\n
Relations were already sour over several disputes, including
\nthe alleged theft by China of U.S. nuclear technology.<\/p>\n
"The implications of the economic crisis for regional security
\nwill take some time to become fully apparent, and will in any
\ncase depend on how long the crisis lasts and how heavy an impact
\nit has on different countries," Downer said.<\/p>\n
"The least we can say is that our strategic environment is now
\nless certain and much more complex," he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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