Drawing a new blueprint for ASEAN<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, 'The Indonesian Quarterly' Centre for
\nStrategic and International Studies (CSIS) (CSIS), Jakarta,
\nbandoro@csis.or.id<\/p>\n
The ninth ASEAN Summit kicked off on Tuesday, Oct. 6 to lay
\nfresh political and strategic ground for a more prosperous, just
\nand secure Southeast Asia region. The Bali Concord II is to act
\nas new blueprint for ASEAN's future regional and international
\nrelations.<\/p>\n
The Summit itself is historic for several reasons. First, it
\nis held when ASEAN is facing tremendous political and strategic
\nchallenges from inside as well as outside the region. Second,
\nduring the Summit ASEAN is to decide new strategic and economic
\nrelations with China, India and Japan.<\/p>\n
China and India reportedly are to sign their ascension to the
\nTreaty and Amity of Cooperation, aimed at providing the basis of
\ngood conduct for all countries bound under the agreement.<\/p>\n
Third, an ASEAN collective leadership is expected to appear as
\na new modality to execute its new program of actions. Fourth, the
\nASEAN Business and Investment Summit seeks to act as a forum for
\nthe ASEAN business community to seek regional opportunities.<\/p>\n
Fifth, the summit will witness important bilateral meetings on
\nthe sidelines of the summit which is expected to facilitate
\nsolutions to bilateral problems.<\/p>\n
The Summit's strategic significance lies not only in ASEAN's
\nregional and global responsibility, but also in the commitment of
\nexternal powers (India, China, Japan and, to a certain extent,
\nRussia) to the region's peace and security. Their commitment will
\npave the way for greater engagements in regional and security
\nmatters.<\/p>\n
As India, China and Russia prepare for an \"alliance\" with the
\nSoutheast Asian countries, the United States seems cool to the
\nidea. America's friends in ASEAN, led by Brunei Darussalam and
\nSingapore had, reportedly been urging Washington to sign the
\nabove treaty, an apparently crucial building block in the
\ndevelopment of a security system in Asia.<\/p>\n
Washington seemed to turn the offer down, probably viewing
\nsuch a commitment as a restraint to U.S. freedom of action, the
\nsame argument they put forward against joining the International
\nCourt of Justice.<\/p>\n
ASEAN has seen earlier engagements with India, Japan and China
\nthrough regular dialog mechanisms. However the current move by
\nsuch countries to be part of ASEAN's core security and economic
\nactivities merits special attention. Their engagement in ASEAN's
\n\"inner circle\" reflects the fact that security and economic
\nissues in the region really matter for their future policy toward
\nthe region.<\/p>\n
For these countries, ASEAN is indeed strategic for the
\nfollowing reasons: (1) future regional problems in which their
\nsecurity and economy is at stake cannot be solved unless they
\nmaintain a cordial and long-term strategic relationship with
\nASEAN; (2) direct exchange of information with ASEAN will be much
\nmore secured, thus guaranteeing access to ASEAN's potential
\nresources; and (3) a collective and more cohesive leadership of
\nASEAN would help those countries promote a more sound regional
\nframework of security and economics, meaning that new approaches
\nand initiatives they might offer to ASEAN might be accepted and
\nexecuted without anyone being suspicious of the other's policies
\nand actions.<\/p>\n
Given that these countries will be permanently part of the
\nASEAN regional agenda will certainly provide the opportunity for
\nASEAN to continually express its approaches to new regional
\nsecurity and economic problems.<\/p>\n
ASEAN must realize that strategic partnership with those
\ncountries is imperative if it is to be seen as more successful in
\ntackling new regional security and economic issues.<\/p>\n
A continuous long term strategic interaction between ASEAN and
\nJapan, China and India and Russia, is not only politically
\ndesirable, but also necessary in an era of a high degree of
\ninterdependence.<\/p>\n
Further, the Bali Concord II draws on the concepts of the
\nASEAN Security Community (ASC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
\nand ASEAN Social and Cultural Community (ASCC). This will be a
\nhistorical leap for ASEAN and it will be a new blueprint for the
\nregional grouping, to be effective until 2020.<\/p>\n
The Concord refers to agreements for a harmonious
\nrelationship. It is aimed at building peaceful and cooperative
\nrelations between states. Thus it contains a code of conduct, and
\nserves as the basis for developing cooperation in politics,
\nsecurity, the economy and even social and cultural fields.<\/p>\n
The Bali Concord I, established in the first ASEAN summit in
\n1976, was an attempt by ASEAN to regulate intra ASEAN relations.
\nThe Bali Concord II will be even more extensive as it reflects
\nattempts by ASEAN to engage itself more effectively and
\nintensively in various forms of regional cooperation.<\/p>\n
The ninth ASEAN Summit sees ASEAN going all out to build a
\nmuch more solid regional community following turbulent issues
\nsuch as terrorism and nontraditional threats such as the
\ntrafficking of people, drugs and weaponry.<\/p>\n
ASEAN now is more cognizant that security is comprehensive and
\nencompasses the security of all fundamental needs, core values
\nand vital interests of the individual state in every field. It
\nalso reflects the awareness that international and regional
\nsecurity is indivisible and mutual and can only be attained
\nthrough common, cooperative and systematic efforts.<\/p>\n
A great deal of regional investment is indeed needed for the
\nrealization of such a community. ASEAN therefore, after the
\nSummit, has to intensify and coordinate its diplomatic efforts to
\nsecure the accomplishment of the Bali Concord II without any
\ncountry in the region taking offense due to the initiatives of
\nother countries taken in the framework of such a community. ASEAN
\nis of course no stranger to controversy.<\/p>\n
The Bali Concord II is set to give more diplomatic weight to
\nASEAN's international standing and regional diplomacy amid rapid
\nchanges in its strategic environment. ASEAN must now be prepared
\nto go beyond its rhetoric as the world now begins to watch
\nASEAN's political and security performance more closely.<\/p>\n
The regional body must press on in its commitment to fulfill
\nits fundamental goals as stated in the 1967 Bangkok Declaration
\n-- namely to maintain regional peace and security and develop
\nfriendly relations among countries in the region.<\/p>\n
The starting point for these efforts must be acceptance that
\nwhile ASEAN stands for ideals we must never relinquish, ASEAN and
\nits Bali Concord II both reflect and shape new geopolitics of
\nSoutheast Asia.<\/p>",
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