Senior officials endorse India and Myanmar for ARF<\/p>\n
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Senior officials of the ASEAN Regional Forum
\n(ARF) yesterday gave the green light for India and Myanmar to
\njoin the 19-member multilateral security consultative forum.<\/p>\n
\"The Senior Officials Meeting has endorsed the proposal to
\nadmit India and Myanmar, subject to the approval of the
\nministers,\" the meeting's chairman, Indonesia's Izhar Ibrahim,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
However all other applications are to be frozen until ARF
\nministers approve the criteria for new membership at their
\nJakarta meeting in July, he said.<\/p>\n
Izhar was speaking at the end of the ARF meeting which was
\noriginally scheduled for two days. But due to the smooth conduct
\nof yesterday's proceedings, delegates were able to wrap up their
\nwhole agenda in one day.<\/p>\n
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which
\ncomprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, Thailand and Vietnam, formed the ARF in 1993. The
\nforum also includes Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, the
\nEuropean Union, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,
\nRussia, South Korea and the United States.<\/p>\n
Izhar, who is director general for political affairs at the
\nMinistry of Foreign Affairs, said the final decision for new
\nmembers will remain with the ministers when they gather in July.<\/p>\n
Though yesterday's decision to endorse Myanmar's membership
\nwas unanimous, several countries have expressed concern about
\nYangon's human rights and domestic political records<\/p>\n
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and
\nPacific Affairs, Winston Lord, when asked, admitted that
\nrelations between Washington and Yangon were \"troubled\".<\/p>\n
\"We have not hidden our concern about developments there,
\nwhether its human rights or the failure to carry out the mandate
\nof a free election,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that given its geography and
\nrelationship to other countries in the region, Myanmar's
\nmembership in the ARF is of great interest to the security of the
\nAsia Pacific region.<\/p>\n
\"We don't always agree on tactics with our friends out here,
\nwe have the same goals however and we worked very harmoniously
\ntogether in discussing this issue,\" Lord remarked.<\/p>\n
While the U.S. has taken up a more isolationist approach to
\nMyanmar, ASEAN states have responded to Myanmar in a milder way,
\nknown as \"constructive diplomacy\".<\/p>\n
Izhar defended India's acceptance due to its new position as a
\nfull dialog partner of ASEAN, while Myanmar is a prospective
\nmember of the association.<\/p>\n
On the criteria for new ARF membership, Izhar said there were
\nthree main elements proposed.<\/p>\n
Firstly a new member must be relevant to the security of the
\narea. Secondly, it must adhere to the agreements previously taken
\nby the ARF. Thirdly admission must be approved by a consensus of
\nall ARF members.<\/p>\n
Among those who have officially applied for membership are
\nBritain, France, Mongolia, North Korea, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n
The head of the European Union's delegation to the meeting,
\nFrancesco Scarlata, said yesterday the question of Britain and
\nFrance's membership would be resolved internally among the
\nEuropeans themselves.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss amongst the European states the participation
\nof France and the U.K.,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Two seats are allotted to Europe, with the European Union
\ngetting one and the European Commissioner the other.<\/p>\n
Several ASEAN delegates privately said there was no real
\nobjection towards Britain and France. However there was concern
\nthat by already having two seats on the ARF, the additional two
\nfor Europe would proportionately sway the balance in their favor.<\/p>\n
The senior officials also agreed to establish a new project on
\ndisaster relief which will be co-chaired by Thailand and New
\nZealand.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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