ARF sets criteria for new membership to the forum

ARF sets criteria for new membership to the forum

JAKARTA (JP): ASEAN and its dialog partners agreed yesterday
to restrict future membership of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
to sovereign states with a direct impact on peace and security in
the Asia-Pacific region.

But they stressed that the formulation of the criteria is not
designed to shut out any particular country but rather to ensure
that the ARF is participated in by selected states.

Indonesia's Director General of ASEAN Affairs, Rahardjo
Djamtomo, told The Jakarta Post that these criteria would prevent
too many nations participating in the ARF and bogging it down.

However he said there was no specific number for what ARF
ministers term in their communique a "manageable level".

"What's clear is that it mustn't grow into anything as big as
the UN, but neither should it be too small. The main thing is
that it can still be well managed," Rahardjo said.

The ARF was established by ASEAN as a multilateral
consultative forum on security issues.

Apart from ASEAN, the members are Australia, Canada, Cambodia,
China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, New Zealand, Russia,
the United States and the European Union.

India and Myanmar are participating for the first time.

During the day-long third ARF meeting here yesterday ministers
agreed to adopt the criteria for new participants in the forum.

The ministers further agreed that the forum must expand
gradually. It was determined that new participants would be
admitted by common consensus and that all ASEAN members would
also be participants in the ARF.

Rahardjo Djamtomo stressed the importance of a potential to
contribute to the region.

"The ARF is designed to promote regional security. We are not
trying to interfere with security, but we believe that by
establishing security in the region we will contribute to the
overall security of the world," he said.

Several countries such as Britain, France, Pakistan and
Kazakhstan have applied to join.

These applications come amid grumblings of discontent in ASEAN
over the European Union's (EU) membership of the forum at the
annual meeting taking place this year in Jakarta.

Quoting diplomatic sources, Reuters reported that the
applications were not intended to replace the EU's seat in the
forum.

Separately when asked about Britain and France's admission,
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas at a press
conference said this would need further consideration.

"This matter was brought to the meeting but since we have just
agreed on criteria we'll have to discuss it further," Alatas
said.

Alatas explained that the reasoning behind their request was
the fact that three of the five nuclear powers were already in
the ARF and that therefore it would be logical for Britain and
France to also have a seat in the ARF, separate to that of the
European Union.(pwn/mds)