No new partnerships, ASEAN chief says<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) is not seeking new partnerships at the moment because its
\nsecretariat already has too much in its plate.<\/p>\n
With hundreds of committees and meetings each year, the
\nJakarta-based secretariat is stretched to fulfill its
\ncommitments, Secretary-General Dato' Ajit Singh said.<\/p>\n
\"It's very difficult to make ends meet,\" Dato' Ajit told a
\nluncheon of the Indonesian Executive Circle.<\/p>\n
Asked by The Jakarta Post whether ASEAN could accommodate a
\nnew partnership or cooperation, he replied: \"No, we are too
\nstretched now.\"<\/p>\n
\"For us to take on new partners or establish new links, I
\nthink we need a little bit more time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Formed in 1967, ASEAN has grown into one of the most
\nsuccessful regional organizations in the world. It is made up of
\nBrunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
\nand Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The group holds annual talks with its \"dialog partners\" the
\nUnited States, the European Union and Japan.<\/p>\n
The slew of activities has inundated the ASEAN secretariat
\nwith projects. The secretariat, with an annual budget of $5.5
\nmillion, employs 30 managers. They are supported by an additional
\n80 local workers who undertake administrative and household
\nduties.<\/p>\n
ASEAN held 244 meetings in 1995. This year 286 meetings are
\nscheduled. The secretariat is responsible for organizing most of
\nthese conferences.<\/p>\n
As ASEAN delves into more areas of cooperation, the volume of
\nmeetings and activities is of course likely to increase. ASEAN's
\nlatest venture, functional cooperation, is expected to initiate
\neven more projects.<\/p>\n
Dato' Ajit told the luncheon that given the secretariat's
\ncapacity, it would be difficult to enter into more cooperation
\nand talks with regional counterparts.<\/p>\n
ASEAN did not want to enter into relationships \"just to pat
\neach other on the back\", he said.<\/p>\n
He suggested that ASEAN consolidate and reaffirm the
\ncommitments it has already made.<\/p>\n
\"We would like to make sure that we are able to service and do
\njustice to all that we have committed ourselves to,\" Dato' Ajit
\nsaid after the luncheon.<\/p>\n
It is important to test if the various mechanisms already in
\nplace are sufficient to handle all these commitments, he added.<\/p>\n
Asked if the multitude of meetings were really needed, he
\nquickly answered: \"They are all necessary.\"<\/p>\n
He said he considered the workload a \"challenge for us to see
\nhow we can reduce these committees. Maybe by using information
\ntechnology.\"<\/p>\n
This month alone there are 22 scheduled meetings and workshops
\nin 10 cities throughout the region.<\/p>\n
These include a meeting on transboundary pollution, a railway
\nmanager's conference, a subcommittee meeting on education, and a
\ndiscussion on the Mekong basin development project. (mds)<\/p>",
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