ASEAN issues 53-point communique

JAKARTA (JP): The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations yesterday issued a 53-point communique which stressed the regional grouping's plans for expanded cooperation as well as its security concerns, including in the South China Sea.

Key passages of the joint communique adopted at the end of ASEAN's 29th annual ministerial meeting:

* Ministers accepted applications of Cambodia and Laos to join in 1997 and granted observer status to Burma. "Thereby, the vision of ASEAN's founders of all ten Southeast Asian countries living in harmony under a single roof came closer to realization."

* ASEAN welcomed China, India and Russia as new dialogue partners.

Regional security

* Ministers expressed satisfaction at development of the ASEAN Regional Forum and "took cognizance of the increasing degree of comfort in the interactions among the ARF participants. ... Conscious of the increasingly significant role of the ARF in the maintenance of peace and stability in the region, the Ministers reiterated that ASEAN should continue to be the driving force of this forum."

* ASEAN noted progress to date in implementing a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality in the region. Ministers "stressed the importance of expediting the process of ratification of the (Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone) Treaty by the signatory states so that it will be completed, if possible, before the informal ASEAN summit in Indonesia in December 1996. "For the effectiveness of the Treaty, they reiterated their call on all nuclear weapons states to extend their cooperation by acceding to the Protocol of the Treaty. ... They also agreed to consider tabling a draft resolution on the SEANWFZ Treaty in the United Nations General Assembly at an appropriate time."

* While the Asia Pacific region was "relatively stable and peaceful ... they acknowledged that tensions exist in the region as well as in other parts of the world in the face of longstanding disputes which, if not successfully managed, could erupt into conflicts that could threaten regional as well as international stability."

* "The Foreign Ministers expressed their concern over the situation in the South China Sea, and stressed that several outstanding issues remain a major concern for ASEAN. ... The Ministers called for the peaceful resolution of the dispute and self-restraint by parties concerned. ... They endorsed the idea of concluding a regional code of conduct in the South China Sea which will lay the foundation for long term stability in the area and foster understanding among claimant countries."

* "The Foreign Ministers stressed the importance of freedom of navigation and aviation in the South China Sea."

* Ministers reiterated their belief that resumption of dialogue between North and South Korea "was extremely important for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula." They called for a peace mechanism but emphasized that the 1953 Armistice Agreement should remain valid until then.

Other regions

* ASEAN welcomed progress in the Middle East but "viewed with concern the current critical phase of the Middle East peace process following the recent general elections in Israel."

* ASEAN welcomed peace agreements on former Yugoslavia and called on all parties to cooperate with the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. "The Ministers supported the international call for the arrest of those who have been indicted for war crimes, and their removal from Bosnia-Herzegovina as an important condition for the full implementation of the Dayton Peace Accord." They called for international support for the reconstruction and development of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Int'l agreement

* ASEAN "called on the nuclear weapons states to refrain from conducting nuclear weapons tests and the Conference on Disarmament to conclude the negotiation on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996."

* ASEAN "reiterated the importance of reforming and restructuring the United Nations, including the Security Council, so as to democratize its workings and to strengthen its effectiveness. ... They reaffirmed the role of the General Assembly as the highest deliberative and decision-making organ of the UN system...." Ministers called for "greater accountability by the Council to the General Assembly."

* Ministers noted the "still sizable numbers of remaining boat people in some first asylum countries who have not been repatriated or resettled, thus requiring further common efforts and cooperation for their immediate repatriation."

Economic cooperation

* Ministers noted "the substantial progress made in the negotiations to liberalize trade in unprocessed agricultural products and welcomed the decision to phase in these products into the CEPT (Common Effective Preferential Tariff) Scheme by the year 2010."

* They called for "continued efforts to reduce the impediments to trade and investment in ASEAN." They noted that customs surcharges affecting identified CEPT products would be removed by 1996 and that establishment of a Green Lane system for CEPT products would expedite customs clearance.

* "The Foreign Ministers called for the active participation of the private sector in ASEAN economic programs and activities.... They encouraged the private sector to come up with specific proposals...."

* Ministers welcomed progress in establishing trade and investment linkages between AFTA and the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZCERTA) and "encouraged such linkages with other regional groupings and trading arrangements."

WTO, EAEC, APEC

* ASEAN reaffirmed its commitment to ensure "a substantial outcome" at the WTO conference in Singapore in December.

* ASEAN "should oppose any attempt to include issues which were not trade-related, such as corruption and social clause.... The Ministers noted that other issues, such as competition policy, may not be mature enough for inclusion...."

* ASEAN ministers "reiterated their commitment toward the early realization of the East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC) which will intensify economic cooperation that is mutually beneficial to its members. In this regard they were happy to note the increasing acceptance of the concept and the rationale for the establishment of such a caucus among the countries of the region."

* Ministers "expressed full support for Vietnam's request for admission into APEC when the moratorium on new membership in APEC is lifted."

Functional cooperation

* Ministers agreed to "explore the possibility of establishing an ASEAN Satellite Channel which would enable ASEAN to present its views and culture more effectively to the world."

* They "expressed serious concern ... that attempts to link international labor standards and international trade would undermine the economic growth of developing countries which in turn would affect the economy of developed nations. They reiterated the view that the issue of international labor standards should be discussed in the ILO and not in other non- labor related fora."

Trans-national issues

* Ministers agreed to "focus attention on such issues as narcotics, economic crimes, including money laundering, environment and illegal migration which transcend borders and affect the lives of the people in the region" and to submit recommendations to a summit.

External Relations

* The first Asia-Europe summit, held in Bangkok in March, "ushered in a new era in relations between Asia and Europe.... The Ministers agreed to work closely to ensure that ASEAN continues to play a central role in the evolution of ASEM and the implementation of follow-up actions...."

* Ministers welcomed the initiative of South Korean President Kim Young Sam leading to an ASEAN-ROK Eminent Persons Group.

Mekong Basin

* Ministers concurred with the decision to open participation in Mekong Basin development to "countries, other than the core group, which are currently engaged in development cooperation on a bilateral or multilateral basis in the Mekong Basin or have expressed interest in the ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation and to international and regional institutions which are interested or engaged in assisting development of the area."

* They called for appropriate modalities for funding.

* They agreed to an annual ministerial meeting to be held back to back with the joint ASEAN foreign and economic ministers ahead of the ASEAN summit.

Sectoral relations

* On ASEAN-Pakistan relations, ministers noted a move to form the ASEAN-Pakistan Business Council and called for further strengthening of sectoral dialogue relations as well as for linkages and cooperation with other regional organizations "mindful of the limited resources and means available."