KL opposes expansion of ASEAN members<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia yesterday objected categorically
\nto proposals by certain counterparts in ASEAN to expand
\nmembership to non-Southeast Asian nations, asserting that ASEAN's
\nidentity should be preserved.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Abdullah Badawi said the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should consolidate after its
\nexpansion into a 10-member grouping to encompass Burma, Cambodia
\nand Laos by the year 2000.<\/p>\n
\"Of late, however, some of us in ASEAN appear to be going
\nthrough some kind of identity crisis,\" he told the seventh
\nSoutheast Asia forum organized by ASEAN and the Institute of
\nStrategic and International Studies (ISIS), Malaysia's
\nindependent think-tank.<\/p>\n
\"The admission of non-Southeast Asian nations has been
\nadvocated. The reason presumably is the growing economic linkages
\nof these states with Southeast Asia besides their geographical
\nproximity to the region,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abdullah's remarks followed reports in January that quoted
\nSingapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong as saying Australia and
\nNew Zealand could join ASEAN in the future.<\/p>\n
While making no direct reference to Singapore's overtures,
\nAbdullah said if ASEAN used the growing economic linkages and
\ngeographical proximity as the yardstick, \"very soon, China, and
\nperhaps India should be members of ASEAN.\"<\/p>\n
Coincidentally, U.S. ambassador Frank Wisner said last
\nSaturday that India, which recently became a dialog partner of
\nASEAN, would end up being part of ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation (APEC) forum in a few years.<\/p>\n
Formed in 1967, ASEAN now groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
\nthe Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and has a
\nsecretariat based in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said ASEAN would run the risk of losing its identity
\nif its membership lines were blurred.<\/p>\n
\"We must draw the line somewhere,\" Abdullah said, expressing
\nMalaysia's wishes to hold the line in Southeast Asia. But he was
\nquick to add that Malaysia was not advocating a closing of
\nSoutheast Asia or a \"circling of the wagons.\"<\/p>\n
ASEAN could conduct the fullest of engagements with all
\nsignificant economic and political powers through the ASEAN
\ndialog process, grouping-to-grouping relations, and through
\ncommon participation in larger regional processes.<\/p>\n
He named APEC, of which ASEAN is a member, and the ASEAN
\nRegional Forum as the platforms on which ASEAN could build
\nstronger economic and political ties with the outside world.<\/p>\n
Among ASEAN itself, Abdullah said members should curb the
\noccasional temptation for unilateral initiative without adequate
\nprior consultation.<\/p>\n
\"We must guard against a loss in cohesion,\" Abdullah said,
\nwhile warning that a compromise of the principle of consensus
\nwould undermine ASEAN's integrity as a powerful regional economic
\nand political player.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kl-opposes-expansion-of-asean-members-1447893297",
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