Big powers' doubts pose porblems for ASEAN plan<\/p>\n
By Roberto Coloma<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AFP): Southeast Asian nations have forged a landmark
\ntreaty banning nuclear weapons from the region after prolonged
\nnegotiations, but now comes the hard part: getting the Big Five
\npowers to support the pact.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the seven-member Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) along with Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos signed the
\ntreaty after a summit Friday, binding them in a common cause
\nthree decades after being split by the Cold War.<\/p>\n
They agreed that none of them will acquire, develop, test, use
\nor allow the stationing of nuclear warheads within the zone. The
\ntreaty also bans dumping of radioactive waste.<\/p>\n
But since none of the signatories have, or are known to be
\ndeveloping, any nuclear warheads, the ban is in large measure
\naddressed to countries which posses such weapons of mass
\ndestruction.<\/p>\n
None of the world's declared nuclear powers -- Britain,
\nFrance, China, Russia and the United States -- signed a treaty
\nside document, known as a protocol, affirming support for the
\nSoutheast Asia Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone.<\/p>\n
Thai Premier Banharn Silpa-archa, host of the summit,
\nannounced that the protocol was under review to accommodate the
\nconcerns of the nuclear-armed states for whom the document was
\nspecially drafted.<\/p>\n
The protocol would bind signatories to respect the treaty and
\nnot contribute to any violation, and to refrain from using or
\nthreatening to use nuclear weapons in the zone. Signatories would
\nalso declare their intention to help achieve \"general and
\ncomplete disarmament of nuclear weapons.\"<\/p>\n
The United States immediately made it clear that it could not
\naccept the protocol in its current form despite ASEAN's
\nassurances that \"innocent passage\" of nuclear-armed or -powered
\nvessels through Southeast Asia is allowed.<\/p>\n
ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, Thailand and Vietnam, collectively the world's
\nfastest-growing economic area.<\/p>\n
Washington views the pact as an infringement on
\ninternationally recognized freedoms of movement by air and sea,
\nand the protocol text \"doesn't quite meet all of our fundamental
\nconcerns,\" State Department spokesman Glyn Davies said.<\/p>\n
\"Those concerns must be addressed if ASEAN wishes the US to
\ngive serious consideration to signing the protocol,\" Davies
\nadded.<\/p>\n
But John Holum, director of the US Arms Control and
\nDisarmament Agency, said in Seoul on Friday that United States
\nwas still hopeful of a modified protocol.<\/p>\n
\"We are encouraged that consultations appear to be
\ncontinuing,\" said Holum, who was meeting with officials in South
\nKorea, which is funding a costly program to overhaul rival North
\nKorea's suspect nuclear facilities.<\/p>\n
Another concern, which particularly affects China, is the
\ndefinition of what constitutes Southeast Asian territory. Beijing
\nhas conflicting claims with four ASEAN members over the Spratlys
\nislands, which straddle vital sea lanes plied by big-power naval
\nvessels.<\/p>\n
Philippine President Fidel Ramos, whose country ejected US
\nmilitary forces in 1992 while maintaining a mutual-defense pact
\nwith Washington, said the treaty and protocol had enough
\n\"flexibility\" to accommodate the big powers.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN is going to be very patient about this,\" he said,
\nnoting the group had been working for a \"zone of peace, freedom
\nand neutrality\" since the 1970s.<\/p>\n
While the nuclear ban has its problems, the sight of all 10
\nSoutheast Asian leaders signing the treaty was in itself a
\nconfirmation of how far ASEAN has gone in promoting regional
\npeace and stability, officials said.<\/p>\n
The treaty was a turning point in efforts of ASEAN -- formed
\n28 years ago to hold back a feared communist onslaught from
\nIndochina -- to encompass all 10 nations in the region. Myanmar,
\nCambodia and Laos are expected to join by 2000.<\/p>\n
The group also hosts the annual ASEAN Regional Forum, where
\nthe world's military powers take part in frank discussions to
\nseek ways of easing tensions and averting security crises in the
\nAsia-Pacific area.<\/p>",
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