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.