'RI must explain ASC to ASEAN members'<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The concept of the ASEAN Security Community (ASC), which was
\nproposed by Indonesia and included in Bali Concord II, a
\ndeclaration issued at the end of the ASEAN Summit in October
\n2003, should be clarified further so that other ASEAN member
\ncountries can fully accept its implementation, an expert says.<\/p>\n
"There is a lack of clarity over ASC because Indonesia has not
\nadequately explained the concept. This unclear message can be
\nseen in the concord, which has many contradictions and
\nloopholes," said CSIS director of studies Rizal Sukma on the
\nsidelines of the conference of the Council for Security
\nCooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that Indonesia, on the one hand, proposed
\nconflict resolution and peace building as mechanisms in ASC but
\non the other hand did not want to modify the noninterference
\nprinciple inherited from the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN) founding fathers.<\/p>\n
ASEAN's noninterference principle states that each ASEAN
\nmember country should respect the sovereignty of other member
\nnations and prohibits intervention by member countries.<\/p>\n
"The noninterference principle that we inherited from the
\nfirst concord is so rigid. We should make it flexible so that
\ninternal security problems can be discussed without creating
\nmisunderstanding among ASEAN members," said Rizal.<\/p>\n
He then proposed that Indonesia should elaborate on ASC
\nprinciples in the Bali concord such as norm-setting, conflict
\nprevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict peace building
\nso that other members could understand the concept better.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia should explain what is norm-setting. If we make the
\nnoninterference principle flexible then we must make sure that
\ninterference doesn't occur in an arbitrary way and without the
\nconsent of the respective country," Rizal added.<\/p>\n
The same goes with the other principles. Indonesia must
\nexplain what conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-
\nconflict peace building mean as well as their respective
\nactivities, he said.<\/p>\n
"For example, what mechanism do we apply in conflict
\nresolution and conflict prevention? Are the current mechanisms
\nenough?" said Rizal.<\/p>\n
He argued that the ASC should be pursued because every member
\ncountry would benefit from its implementation.<\/p>\n
"Within this community, every potential conflict can be
\nprevented and solved in a peaceful way," he said.<\/p>\n
He also stressed that this community would also facilitate
\nproblem solving among the members through formal and legal
\nchannels, not merely through political avenues.<\/p>\n
"Currently, security cooperation between ASEAN member
\ncountries is carried out in informal bilateral or trilateral
\nrelations," said Rizal.<\/p>\n
He said that the plan of action was currently being formulated
\nby the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and hoped this plan would be
\ncompleted by the time Jakarta hosted the ASEAN Ministerial
\nMeeting in June next year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-must-explain-asc-to-asean-members-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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