Indonesia proposing ASEAN security community concept<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Phnom Penh<\/p>\n
Indonesia will propose a security \"community concept\" to the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) that it says could
\nserve as a road map to foresee and avoid possible conflict in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
The concept, to be presented at the 36th ASEAN ministerial
\nmeeting (AMM) here, was designed to provide relevance for the
\norganization's existence, especially in the wake of emerging
\nunconventional security threats in the region, such as terrorism.<\/p>\n
In a document obtained by The Jakarta Post on Sunday, the
\nconcept aims at containing the prospect of war in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said
\nearlier that some ugly events had occurred in the region over the
\npast couple of years, with a series of terrorist attacks that
\nculminated in last October's Bali bombings and other potential
\nconflicts due to changes in global politics after the Sept. 11,
\n2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.<\/p>\n
The terrorist activities have been blamed on separatist
\nmovements that plague several countries in the region, such as
\nIndonesia, which is currently conducting a military offensive
\nagainst the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). The Philippines and
\nThailand are both fighting separatist Muslims.<\/p>\n
The region has come under the international spotlight with the
\ninclusion of the Southeast Asia Jamaah Islamiyah terrorist
\nnetwork on the United Nations' terrorist list, rampant arms
\nsmuggling and money laundering that continue to support terror
\nactivities there.<\/p>\n
\"We need to address these issue, and for an organization that
\nhas existed for 36 years, we should have a degree of maturity
\namong member states to discuss these domestic problems,\" the
\nminister said before leaving for the AMM, held on Monday and
\nTuesday. The meeting will be followed by the ASEAN Regional Forum
\non Wednesday, which will invite 10 regional partners, including
\nthe United States, Australia, Japan and China.<\/p>\n
The concept does not suggest the establishment of a defense
\npact nor a military alliance nor ask for the commitment of member
\nstates to defend each other from external attacks, but seeks
\nassurance for an end to the possibility of such conflicts
\noccurring in the first place.<\/p>\n
In the document, Indonesian states that the concept \"is meant
\nto provide a sense of purpose, a practical goal, and a future
\ncondition that all member states should strive for\".<\/p>\n
To attain the condition, in practice Indonesia will propose
\nthe establishment of several institutions to deal with regional
\nsecurity issues such as arms trafficking, fraud and money
\nlaundering, which will be tackled as part of the overall effort
\nto combat terrorism.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN should consider the establishment of an ASEAN center
\nfor combating terrorism and urge all member states to ratify all
\nrelevant international conventions in this area,\" the document
\nstates.<\/p>\n
Another institution that Indonesia is proposing be established
\nis an ASEAN peace-keeping training center to improve conflict
\nprevention and resolution among member states.<\/p>\n
To directly address smuggling and other maritime threats in
\nthe region, Indonesia underlines that the region may need to set
\nup an ASEAN maritime surveillance center.<\/p>\n
In the proposal, Indonesia asserts that the concept will
\ncontinue to respect the basic principles of ASEAN such as
\nnoninterference, respect for national sovereignty, consensus
\nbased decision-making, and the renouncement of the threat or use
\nof force.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-proposing-asean-security-community-concept-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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