Cambodia hails ASEAN initiative<\/p>\n
By Santi WE Soekanto<\/p>\n
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (JP): An ASEAN ministerial mission led
\nby Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas will go to
\nPhnom Penh to engage in "silent diplomacy" after receiving
\nconfirmation yesterday that they would be welcomed by Cambodian
\nSecond Prime Minister Hun Sen.<\/p>\n
Alatas said after the closing of the ASEAN Post-Ministerial
\nConference (PMC) here yesterday that the grouping had received a
\nwritten confirmation welcoming ASEAN's role in the crisis.<\/p>\n
"It's possible," Alatas said when asked whether he and two
\nother foreign ministers, who make up the ASEAN mission, might
\nleave for Phnom Penh this week.<\/p>\n
Alatas, who returned to Jakarta yesterday afternoon shortly
\nafter the close of the two-day PMC, pointed out that he would
\nfirst report to President Soeharto and consult his colleagues on
\nhow and when to go about the mission.<\/p>\n
The other two foreign ministers making up the team are the
\nPhilippines' Domingo L. Siazon and Thailand's Prachuab
\nChaiyasarn.<\/p>\n
Alatas maintained that the mission would not offer "specific
\nprescriptions on how to resolve the crisis" to Hun Sen.<\/p>\n
"We are going to talk in general terms, we're going to listen,
\nto exchange views with Second Prime Minister Hun Sen about the
\npossible elements for a possible solution.<\/p>\n
"We have suggestions (about how to restore political
\nstability) but at this stage we cannot reveal what they are," he
\nsaid when pressed for details.<\/p>\n
"If we did that, it would be counterproductive, and if all
\nparties knew what we were going to say, they could say 'no' even
\nbefore we come," he said adding that "we must have quiet, silent
\ndiplomacy until we reach a certain stage".<\/p>\n
Similarly Siazon said: "We'd like to be assured that stability
\n(in Cambodia) will exist sufficiently well enough in the long run
\nfor them to be able to fulfill their commitments (to the Paris
\nPeace Accords)."<\/p>\n
Sources revealed that the written confirmation was received
\nhere early yesterday morning and addressed to the three foreign
\nministers. It was signed by Cambodian Foreign Minister Ung Huot.<\/p>\n
"I have the pleasure to reconfirm to your excellencies that
\nCambodia welcomes ASEAN's role in helping to restore political
\nstability in the country.<\/p>\n
"Therefore I would like to invite your excellencies ... to
\ncome to Cambodia at a date convenient to your excellencies, if
\npossible this week," read a copy of the signed letter.<\/p>\n
The fragile peace and coalition in Cambodia ruptured earlier
\nthis month after Hun Sen took over political power from First
\nPrime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh.<\/p>\n
Initial efforts by ASEAN to offer their good offices were
\nrebuffed by Hun Sen. The uncertainty in Cambodia prompted ASEAN
\nto delay its membership which was originally slated for last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
ASEAN currently groups Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
\nMyanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Alatas yesterday would not say whether the ASEAN mission would
\nalso meet again with Prince Ranariddh or his father Cambodian
\nKing Norodom Sihanouk.<\/p>\n
"We are going to first visit Hun Sen ... after that we can
\nlook whether to visit (Ranariddh or Sihanouk)," he said.<\/p>\n
Alatas lauded the latest development saying "at least now all
\nthe parties concerned are willing to accept ASEAN's role" in
\nrestoring stability.<\/p>\n
He underlined that the mission's main aim was to exchange
\nviews so that "an agreement can be reached, one that is enduring
\nenough until the time comes for the general election" next May.<\/p>\n
Alatas said no deadline had been set for the Cambodian
\nmission.<\/p>\n
Cambodia's Ung Huot last week held direct consultations with
\nthe ASEAN ministers who were here to attend the annual
\nministerial meeting.<\/p>\n
Despite reports that Ung Huot had been expelled from
\nRanariddh's royalist FUNCINPEC party, Alatas said the grouping
\nstill recognized him as foreign minister.<\/p>\n
"We'll see. He is so far still the foreign minister, and we
\nare dealing with him as such. We'll see how far our position
\nneeds to be adjusted if there are changes."<\/p>\n
Ung Huot had earlier been tipped to replace Ranariddh as co-
\npremier.<\/p>",
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