ASEAN leaders to discuss weighty issues informally
JAKARTA (JP): Southeast Asian heads of government will gather tomorrow to discuss weighty issues in what promises to be one of the most relaxed atmospheres ever set-up for a leaders meeting.
Despite the presence of several ominous issues, the casual environment may well be the key to success tomorrow.
International relations observer Dewi Fortuna Anwar told The Jakarta Post that informality allowed leaders to "loosen their ties". She believes the "clubby atmosphere" might prompt leaders to bring-up issues which in other circumstances could be embarrassing.
Heads of government of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) which comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will gather here tomorrow for the first ever informal summit.
Due to domestic developments, Thailand will be sending Deputy Prime Minister Amnuay Virawan.
Leaders of the three-prospective ASEAN members -- Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar -- have also been invited to attend.
The informal summit was agreed upon during the fifth ASEAN Summit in Bangkok last year.
Dewi said an informal summit would not be burdened by the need to produce concrete results. Thus, the leaders can "brain storm" without the weight of international interest.
"In formal summits, leaders are constrained by their positions and everyone becomes very nationalistic when conflicting issues arise," she said.
The unceremonious atmosphere is underscored by the relaxed setting of the Lotus room at the Hilton Hotel, where the summit is to be held.
A two-hour discussion will be held there, after which ASEAN leaders will lunch at Taman Sari Restaurant joined by their counterparts from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
While ASEAN leaders talk in the morning, the leaders of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar will visit the ASEAN Secretariat.
Given time constraints, the 1.5-hour lunch features just as prominently as the scheduled meeting sessions.
ASEAN Secretary General Dato Ajit Singh said proceedings will be kept loose.
"There will be no pomp, no ceremony," he said, adding that the leaders are expected to have "free-wheeling discussions".
There is no set agenda for the leaders talks. All that has been prepared by respective ministers is an indicative list of topics.
"The leaders may or may not want to use this list," Dato Ajit said.
While the veneer of informality persists, there are some burning questions that need to be answered by the leaders.
One decision observers will be watching for is whether ASEAN will admit Myanmar into its ranks next year.
"It's unavoidable that they discuss Myanmar," said Dewi Fortuna Anwar.
Although Myanmar's eventual admission is assured, Thailand and the Philippines have expressed strong concern about the timing.
From a historical point of view, it would be momentous if Myanmar joined Cambodia and Laos as they enter next year on ASEAN's 30th anniversary. However, concerns over Yangon's human rights record may curtail the plan.
Dewi said the afternoon plenary session would allow everyone to get to know each other and possibly air concerns.
"It's a confidence building measure," she said.
Separately yesterday, Foreign Ministry officials said "President Soeharto has written to all heads of government asking them what they will discuss in the summit."
The officials said the indicative list includes the Southeast Asian nuclear weapons' free zone treaty, the common ASEAN time zone, the South China Sea, economic cooperation in the Mekong Basin and next month's World Trade Organization meeting. (mds)
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