RI leads ASEAN to security<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Phnom Penh<\/p>\n
Assuming the chairmanship of ASEAN on Tuesday, Indonesia took
\nsteps for the Southeast Asian grouping to initiate a regional
\nsecurity community to combat terrorism and a joint effort to seek
\nthe release of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar.<\/p>\n
In a two-day meeting, the foreign ministers of the Association
\nof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cautiously welcomed the
\nIndonesian proposal to create an ASEAN Security Community (ASC).<\/p>\n
Speaking at the close of the ministerial meeting, Indonesian
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said the ASC was
\nmeant to provide a sense of purpose for the organization and
\nmaintain its relevance in the current global politics.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN needs to discuss thoroughly the significance of the
\npolitical road leading to an ASEAN Security Community that will
\nensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region,\" Hassan
\nstressed.<\/p>\n
Jakarta outlined the ASC in a position paper here on Monday.<\/p>\n
It said the idea was born from a shift in sovereign priorities
\nresulting from changes that followed the Bali bombings and the
\nSeptember 11, 2001, terror strikes in the United States.<\/p>\n
Philippine foreign minister Blas Ople said he held some
\nreservations while other members of ASEAN would want reassurances
\nthat it did not hark back to past treaties, such as the Southeast
\nAsian Treaty Organization (SEATO) which split regional neighbors.<\/p>\n
\"This may be misunderstood by other powers. I told them about
\nthe ghost of SEATO,\" Ople was quoted by Agence France-Presse as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, and also Thailand, nevertheless, stressed during
\nthe talks among foreign ministers here that an ASC would not
\nserve as a defense pact.<\/p>\n
The two countries said it would not be similar to SEATO nor
\nthe North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) but merely sought
\nto promote closer political and security cooperation among
\nmembers of ASEAN.<\/p>\n
However, Ople said he was not sure how China would receive
\nsuch a proposal.<\/p>\n
The proposed ASC would include centers for combating
\nterrorism, training in peacekeeping, a center for cooperation in
\nnon-conventional issues and regular ASEAN police and defense
\nministers' meetings.<\/p>\n
But diplomats stressed that more work was needed and the
\nrealization of an ASC would be developed along with the cherished
\ndream of full Southeast Asian economic integration.<\/p>\n
Aside from the ASC, this year's ASEAN foreign ministers'
\nmeeting also focused on how to persuade the military junta in
\nMyanmar to release Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
Ministers held heated discussions on, and with, Myanmar behind
\nclosed doors this week and some voiced concern that Myanmar's
\ntough actions to curb dissent were hurting the reputation of the
\nentire group.<\/p>\n
Hassan Wirayuda, according to Ople, initiated an idea for
\nASEAN to send a ministerial mission to Myanmar, which was then
\nwelcomed by other ministers.<\/p>\n
\"There is no formal approval yet, but it was supported by all
\nthe foreign ministers,\" Ople told Reuters on the sidelines of the
\nan ASEAN meeting here.<\/p>\n
Officials said Hassan was expected to use Indonesia's
\nleadership of ASEAN to push for more pressure on Myanmar's
\nmilitary rulers, whose detention of Suu Kyi and reluctance to
\nmove towards democratic change is starting to embarrass other
\nmembers of the 10-nation group.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement released at the conclusion of the talks,
\nASEAN ministers \"looked forward to the early lifting of
\nrestrictions placed on San Suu Kyi and the NLD (National League
\nfor Democracy) members\" arrested following violence in the
\ncountry's north last month.<\/p>\n
The meeting, however, delayed approval of a Filipino proposal
\ncalling for a multilateral mechanism to resolve the North Korean
\ncrisis. The proposal will now be debated during a meeting with
\nASEAN dialogue partners at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
\nstarting Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Aside from North Korea, the idea of an ASC and ASEAN's common
\nstance on Myanmar is expected to please ASEAN's allies like the
\nUnited States and Australia.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-leads-asean-to-security-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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