Asean endorses East Asian Community plan

Asean endorses East Asian Community plan

Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Tokyo

Amid the increasing economic and political rivalry between the
regional superpower Japan and China, the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) endorsed Japanese Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi's grand policy to promote the East Asian
Community (EAC).

During his tour of the region in January last year, several
ASEAN members, including Indonesia, gave a lukewarm response to
the Prime Minister's idea. However, in a two-day summit which
will end on Friday in Tokyo this week, ASEAN praised it and
offered full cooperation to integrate East Asian countries into
one community.

EAC will comprise the 10 Asean member countries and their
dialog partners Japan, China and South Korea.

The group also agreed to boost cooperation with Japan in
political and security concerns and to intensify consultative
dialogs between top officials.

Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda,
openly acknowledged that Southeast Asia needed Japan as a key
partner to achieve the EAC goal, while pointing out that ASEAN
was also vital for Japan's national interests.

"Just a simple fact; Japan's economy is the second largest in
the world... We talk about investment, trade, loans and human
resources, but now Japan has agreed to develop dialog on
political and security issues in this region, in the larger
context," said Hassan.

The minister indicated that Japan's interest in boosting
cooperation with ASEAN was also influenced by China's proactive
approach, including its readiness to sign the Security of Amity
and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) during the Bali summit in
October, along with India.

At that time, Japan was clearly reluctant to sign the treaty,
which ASEAN concluded was because Japan did not want to have
problems with its ally, the United States.

Only two months later, said Hassan, Japan agreed to sign the
treaty. Yet, Japan is still not able to formally sign the treaty
during the current summit, because it needs prior approval from
parliament.

"In my opinion, somehow Japan felt left behind. In the Bali
summit here, China stole the show when it decided to accede to
the TAC.

"In the Bali summit, Japan found it difficult to sign the TAC,
and 10 weeks later they decided to sign it. That is progress,"
said the minister.

Meanwhile, President Megawati Soekarnoputri in her opening
remarks as chairperson of the first day's session of the Japan-
ASEAN Commemorative Summit, praised Japan for its great
contribution to ASEAN since they opened relations in 1973.
Quoting the statement of Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda in
1977, she said, "A true friend is one who offers his hand in
understanding and cooperation, not only in fair weather, but in
adverse circumstances as well,"

The President called on the two parties to enhance existing
cooperation.

"We know we can and must build a multidimensional
relationship, encompassing political, economic and socio-cultural
cooperation, based on mutual respect, shared interests and common
benefit," said the President.

The security during the summit is very tight. Only very
limited coverage is allowed at the Geihinkan State Palace, the
summit venue. At least one hour after the opening, journalists
still could not get a copy of Koizumi's speech or other leaders'
speeches.

Unlike the Bali summit in October, where it was still possible
for journalists to approach other heads of governments like
Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, this time the leaders are
apparently expected only to brief the media from their respective
countries.

Japan's tight security is apparently influenced by global
terrorist attacks.