'In the coming meeting, ASEAN will need to show firmness as
\nregards its strategic platform, one that provides stronger basis
\nfor ASEAN direction.'<\/p>\n
;JP;CD
\nANPAk..r..
\nASEAN
\nASEAN, drive it once, trust it forever.
\nJP\/6\/BANDO<\/p>\n
ASEAN, drive it once, trust it forever<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
ASEAN will hold its 37th ministerial meeting here on June 28
\nto July 2. An ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting as well as talks
\nwith other partners of ASEAN will also take place in between
\nthese dates.<\/p>\n
This will be the first formal meeting of ASEAN foreign
\nministers since the Bali summit in 2003, and is particularly
\nimportant in light of the task entrusted by the 9th summit to
\nfinalize plans of action for the attainment of an ASEAN community
\nby 2020. Not only that, ASEAN is to show to the world its dee+per
\nstrategic engagement in the development of a more stable and
\nsecure region.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta meeting takes place at a time when the region is
\nfacing ever more severe political and strategic challenges
\nstemming both from inside and outside the region, and amid rumors
\nabout the threat of terrorist attacks at foreign envoys here and
\ncertain mining and energy companies.<\/p>\n
The six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue taking
\nplace in Beijing from June 23 to June 26 has added greater
\nimportance of the meeting, the ARF in particular, especially as
\nregards how the ARF will react to the outcome of that meeting and
\ngo about reducing political tension on the Korean peninsula.<\/p>\n
The ARF meeting is also special in the light of the accession
\nby Pakistan to the forum and the presence of the North Korean
\nforeign minister.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta meeting is considered extraordinary, not only
\nbecause it will see the attendance of senior officials from the
\nstake holders, but also because it has been assigned the task of
\nhelping boost stability and security in the region.<\/p>\n
It is thus, strategically and politically, a security meeting
\nin the sense that it has the task of providing wider security
\nassurances that the region will be robust enough to withstand
\npressures on ASEAN as well as its members states.<\/p>\n
High profile security issues, such as security in the Strait
\nof Malacca, terrorism, Myanmar and tension on the Korean
\nPeninsula, to mention a few, will definitely be on the agenda of
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
Here we see the widening of the spectrum of ASEAN's
\nresponsibilities: to identify new security issues, overcome
\nexisting ones and design a reliable regional strategy for
\novercoming future contentious regional issues.<\/p>\n
The region is anxiously waiting to see whether Indonesia, as
\nthe chair of ASEAN, can gear up other ASEAN member states to
\nagree upon specific plans of action, particularly as regards the
\nidea of the ASEAN Security Community.<\/p>\n
As we have seen, Indonesia has floated proposals for a plan of
\nactions for an ASEAN Security Community, such as regional
\npeacekeeping and an ASEAN human rights commission. Other members
\nare tasked with developing plans of action for an ASEAN Social
\nand Cultural Community, and an ASEAN Economic Community. All are
\npart of ASEAN's strive for full integration.<\/p>\n
At the upcoming meeting, ASEAN will need to show firmness as
\nregards its strategic platform, one that provide a stronger basis
\nfor ASEAN's future direction and activities.<\/p>\n
The strategic objectives of ASEAN -- among other things,
\ndealing with security matters and disputes through a regional
\nframework rather than bilaterally or through international forums
\n-- are among the key objectives that will fulfill the vision of
\nASEAN.<\/p>\n
It is a pity, however, that other members of ASEAN have their
\nown sets of priorities in achieving these objectives.<\/p>\n
If ASEAN is to be seen as being firm in its platform, one
\nmight suggest that it needs to further map out strategic
\nobjectives that would politically support its 2020 vision. One of
\nthese objectives is ensuring that ASEAN is continuously and
\nstrategically relevant to its members, particularly in the
\nsecurity sense.<\/p>\n
Through the diplomatic process, ASEAN needs to sustain the
\nbelief among member states that an increase in benefit to one
\nwill be a benefit to all. This is one manifestation of security.<\/p>\n
It is normal that for ASEAN to look firm about its platform,
\nthe members' interests and ASEAN's interests as a regional entity
\nneed to be congruent. But in practice, this would be difficult to
\nachieve. In the event of a conflict, turbulence in the region or
\neven responses to fresh proposals, it is likely that the members
\nof ASEAN will continue to tend to put their own interests first.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's proposal that regional peacekeeping be made an
\nASEAN mechanism for solving conflicts was not well received by
\nthe other members, a sign that they tend to give more priority to
\ntheir own interests.<\/p>\n
The AMM meting here, therefore, will need to be more
\nassertive and creative in exploring a variety of ways in which
\nASEAN might produce more practical policies, ones that are not
\nincongruent with the interests of members.<\/p>\n
Other strategic objectives ASEAN might consider, in the
\ncontext of building an ASEAN Community, is ensuring the
\ncompetence of ASEAN as a kind of driver that would in the end be
\nlooked to for the purpose of solving and containing any future
\nconflicts or outbreaks of political turbulence.<\/p>\n
Indonesia needs to mobilize more of its diplomatic resources
\nso that there will be a deeper strategic engagement of each of
\neach of the member states of ASEAN as regards the realization of
\nits 2020 vision. Such engagement is not only desirable, but also
\nnecessary if Indonesia is to avoid further rifts among ASEAN
\nmember states caused by differences in policy priorities.<\/p>\n
What Indonesia needs to do more regarding its idea of an ASEAN
\nSecurity Community is to inculcate the belief that once the
\nmember states drive ASEAN as their vehicle for regional security,
\nthey should trust ASEAN forever, meaning that they will be
\ncommitted to working together within a framework of
\ninterdependence in order to bring about security and other
\ndesirable objectives.<\/p>\n
The writer (bandoro@csis.or.id), a researcher at the Centre
\nfor Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is also a
\nlecturer in the International Relations Post Graduate Studies
\nProgram, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of
\nIndonesia, Jakarta.<\/p>",
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