ASEAN and EU divided over nuclear issue

ASEAN and EU divided over nuclear issue

By Oei Eng Goan

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): The European Union (EU) and other
members attending the second ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) remained
divided on how to ban underground nuclear testing at the close of
the forum's meeting here yesterday.

Although the President of the EU Council agreed with the
statement made by Brunei's Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah, in
his capacity as chairman of ARF, the EU could not accept a
paragraph in the statement that calls for the banning of nuclear
tests.

One of the paragraphs of the ARF statement says that all
members of the forum have welcomed the commitment by all parties
to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to conclude a Comprehensive Test
Ban Treaty by the year 1996 and that they have endorsed a nuclear
free zone in the South Pacific.

The EU said in a statement released after the closing ARF
ceremony that "the international community does not have as yet a
legally binding declaration concerning underground testing and
that as well as an internationally recognized nuclear free zone
in the region."

Set up in Bangkok a year ago, ARF, which groups all seven
members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and
its dialog and consultative partners from the United States,
Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the European
Union, China and Russia, is designed to discuss political and
security issues in the region.

The ARF meeting yesterday also produced a Concept Paper that
envisages the challenges the region will have to face as a result
of rapid economic growth and significant shifts in power
relations.

Transitions

"The ARF will have to carefully manage these transitions to
preserve peace by recognizing and accepting the different
approaches to peace and security," the paper said.

It also says that as there are still unresolved problems among
countries in the region, and other ARF members, the forum "will
have to gradually defuse these potential problems."

The forum also recommends three stages to make it work
effectively and realistically. The three stages are promotion of
confidence building measures among members, development of
prevention building diplomacy and development of a conflict-
resolution mechanism.

The confidence building measures include the "further
exploration of regional arms register, coordination of existing
security studies activities, and cooperative approaches to sea
lines communication, beginning with exchanges of information and
training in such areas as search and rescue, piracy and drug
control."

Exchange visits of military personnel are also recommended and
arms manufacturers and suppliers are encouraged to disclose the
destinations of their exports.

The forum's preventive diplomacy advocates finding ways and
means to prevent conflict. It also suggests undertaking fact-
finding missions to identify problems and setting up a regional
risk reduction center as recommended by the United Nations
General Assembly.