ASEAN members 'alive again', Indonesia says

ASEAN members 'alive again', Indonesia says

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is active
again, and the launching of a free trade area at the start of the
year is going to help catapult the group back into international
diplomacy, Indonesia proclaimed on Monday.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda, outlining the
challenges facing Indonesia in 2002, said he detected "a new
sense of activism" within ASEAN.

"This is an ASEAN that has come back from a crisis situation,"
he told journalists in a meeting to reflect on the achievements
of 2001 and the challenges his office faces in 2002.

As the largest member, Indonesia has been regarded as the
natural leader of the regional grouping, now in its 34th year.

The group's international prominence ebbed after the financial
crisis that struck Asia in 1997, with Indonesia the worst
affected as political turmoil descended.

Hassan, a career diplomat appointed by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri when she formed her Cabinet in August, reiterated
Jakarta's long standing policy of making ASEAN the cornerstone of
its diplomacy.

But while focusing on the region, this in no way would dampen
ASEAN's outward-looking spirit, and Indonesia would continue to
forge close relationships with countries outside the region,
particularly its major trading partners, he said.

He said a series of activities held by ASEAN in 2001,
including the regional summit in Bandar Sri Begawan in November
and the launching of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) on Jan. 1,
came just as certain parties cast doubts about ASEAN's relevance.

In spite of the low-key launch of AFTA, major economies in
Asia, including Japan, South Korea and China have all expressed
interest in joining this process of closer economic integration
between countries in the region, he said.

Several concepts had been bandied about, from an "ASEAN-China
Free Trade", "East Asia Free Trade" to talks of forming an "East
Asian Community", he noted.

AFTA involves six of ASEAN's 10 member countries, with the
remaining four joining in by 2008. Under the free trade
agreement, the six participants -- Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand -- will cut import
tariffs for most goods to between zero and 5 percent.

"Contrary to what skeptics have said about our readiness to
face AFTA, data shows Indonesia is well prepared, in terms of its
competitive edge and trade," Hassan said.

He pointed out that Indonesia's trade with the rest of ASEAN
has been growing at a steady rate of 12.35 percent a year, with
Indonesia running an overall surplus.

There were at least 28 types of products with which Indonesia
has a comparative advantage over other ASEAN countries, he said,
citing plywood, yarn, steel sheet, aluminum products, shoes and
glass products as examples.

After ASEAN, Indonesia's next foreign policy priority would be
with its Pacific neighbors, including East Timor, Hassan said.

A new forum, called the South West Pacific Dialog, a concept
first broached by Megawati's predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid, would
be launched in the middle of the year.

Indonesia would host a series of important meetings in
February, including a ministerial-level meeting with East Timor
and a consultative meeting involving Indonesia, Australia and
East Timor.

A regional conference, jointly sponsored with Australia, would
be held in Bali in February to discuss the problem of people
smuggling and trading, and other international crimes.

Hassan said he had sent out invitations to his counterparts in
35 countries, including Central Asian countries where the
problems emerged.

The new Afghanistan government had also been invited.

Indonesia has been used as a transit point for Central Asian
people seeking asylum in Australia.

Busy schedule in RI's diplomacy

* Consultation meeting in Bali in February involving
Indonesia, East Timor and Australia.

* Ministerial level meeting with East Timor in Bali in
February.

* Regional conference on people smuggling and trade in Bali in
February.

* Launching of the South West Pacific Dialog forum (comprising
Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand
and the Philippines) in mid- year.

State guests: Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (Jan.
12), Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (Jan. 17),
Australian Prime Minister John Howard (February).

President Megawati's foreign trips: China, South Korea and
North Korea, and India in March/April.

Hassan's foreign trip: Papua New Guinea (January).