SE Asia looking for a security concept<\/p>\n
By Werner vom Busch<\/p>\n
MANILA (DPA): Is there a role for Europe in the ASEAN region
\n-- that is Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, Thailand and Vietnam, the states that currently make
\nup the Association of Southeast Asian Nations? And if so, how can
\nit be defined? Where does an advisory role end and one of
\npatronizing interference begin? What role do external powers play
\nin the structuring of Southeast Asian security policy?<\/p>\n
It is gradually beginning to dawn on Europe that security
\nmatters in this part of the world are indeed relevant to European
\ninterests -- not least because the ASEAN region already accounts
\nfor 50 percent of worldwide production. It is also the most vital
\neconomic region in the world and is becoming more and more
\nimportant for the European economy too.<\/p>\n
In recognition of these facts, the German Konrad Adenauer
\nFoundation organized a conference on \"Security and Regional Order
\nin ASEAN and the Role of External Powers\". The conference was
\nheld in Manila this week. In his opening speech, the president of
\nthe foundation, Gerd Langguth, said that Manila had been chosen
\nas the location because the Philippines was currently in the
\nlimelight of German politics and also had the most democratic
\n\"visiting card\" of the region.<\/p>\n
The Philippines, which had hitherto played the role of \"Sick
\nMan of Asia\", seems to have found its feet again, with an
\neconomic growth rate of seven percent in 1996.<\/p>\n
In his introductory speech, President Fidel V. Ramos said that
\neconomics and security were two interdependent issues.<\/p>\n
The virtually uninterrupted peace in this region since 1975
\nhas had a lot to do with the unprecedented economic growth in the
\nASEAN countries. The Asian \"economic miracle\" lead in turn to
\npolitical stability in the region.<\/p>\n
However, the ASEAN nations are well aware how fragile this
\npeace is. President Ramos said that a conflict in Southeast Asia
\n\"could burst this stability as if it were a bubble\", with
\nunforeseeable consequences for this region and the entire world.<\/p>\n
Though even the Asians attending the conference had a certain
\namount of difficulty in describing the \"Asian way\" of working
\ntogether, it would seem that it is primarily defined by the
\npersonal contacts between the leading politicians in this
\ncommunity of states.<\/p>\n
They have all known each other for years -- leaders like
\npremier Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia, President Soeharto of
\nIndonesia or Lee Kuan Yew, the eminence grise of Singapore, have
\nbeen in political control in their countries for decades. They
\ndiscuss political problems when they meet and try to defuse
\npotential sources of conflict.<\/p>\n
These years of acquaintance constitute Asian-style confidence
\nbuilding measures. They have produced good results so far and
\nbrought stability to the region.<\/p>\n
Yet this concept has its weaknesses, as one participant from
\nThailand pointed out: What happens when these aging political
\nleaders are replaced? This is where consultation mechanisms, such
\nas have been tried and tested in the European Union (EU) over
\nmany years, could serve as a model for ASEAN, as one EU
\nrepresentative at the conference suggested.<\/p>\n
The greatest unknown in terms of Asian security calculations
\nis China. All the conference participants agreed that the
\nstability and integration of this huge country in an Asian
\nsecurity system are crucial to a stable future for Southeast and
\nEast Asia.<\/p>\n
The president of the Chinese Institute for International
\nStudies, ambassador Yang Chenxu, hastened to stress his country's
\npeacable intentions. Nevertheless, China's military operations
\nclose to the coast of Taiwan in March of this year caused a great
\ndeal of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
The uncertainty of domestic developments in the People's
\nRepublic also casts a shadow on the otherwise optimistic
\nprospects of China's smaller neighbors, with perhaps the
\nexception of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Of the ASEAN states, Indonesia, the largest group of islands
\nin the world, with a population of almost 200 million people, is
\nthe only one which claims to be able to counterbalance, if not
\nmatch China's power.<\/p>\n
The question of India's increasingly important role in Asian
\npolitics was almost totally ignored at the Manila conference.
\nHowever, German member of parliament Friedbert Pflueger (CDU)
\npointed out that India's relations with China and its future
\npolicy on nuclear testing would have a lasting effect on
\nSoutheast Asia.<\/p>\n
On the subject of human rights -- East Timor and Myanmar were
\nvery much in the news -- the Asian participants at the conference
\nseemed to share the following position: While European countries
\nwere by all means entitled to raise this subject, it was not
\nacceptable that they should link it with threats of economic
\nsanctions.<\/p>",
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