ASEAN stresses importance of regional security
By Meidyatama Suryodinigrat & Oei Eng Goan
SINGAPORE (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), stressing the importance of security in the wake of heightened tension in the region, hinted at its intention to embark on preventive diplomacy in its security forum.
Highlighting growing friction between China and Taiwan, armed conflict between India and Pakistan and tension in the South China Sea, the association underlined the need for the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to become more active in handling security issues.
"Now there is a cross-strait problem between China and Taiwan which may test U.S.-China and Japan-China relations," Singapore Prime Ministers Goh Chok Tong said, referring to the numerous security challenges faced by the association.
"The stability of the U.S.-China-Japan triangular relationship is a vital factor underpinning regional security," he said, noting that instability would undermine ASEAN's economic recovery.
At the opening of a two-day meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers on Friday indicated their desire for ARF to move from confidence building measures (CBMs) to preventive diplomacy.
"In order to ensure relevance and the ability to respond to challenges posed by the rapidly changing political and security environment in the region, ARF must move its deliberations and activities substantively forward," Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas said.
"It is in this context that Indonesia welcomes the forthcoming discussion on the concept and principles of preventive diplomacy," he said.
The Regional Forum was established by ASEAN -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- in 1993 as a regional consultative forum for political and security issues.
The forum comprises ASEAN, Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Korea and the United States.
ARF foreign ministers are due to convene for their sixth annual meeting here on Monday.
In recent years, non-ASEAN members have criticized the sluggish pace of the forum. Many would like it to engage in preventive diplomacy and eventually conflict resolution.
This criticism, coupled with rising regional tension, prodded ASEAN, which monopolizes the chairmanship of ARF and declared itself the "driving force" of the forum, to recognize the need to move ARF forward.
Both Thai foreign minister Surin Pitswan and Filipino foreign minister Domingo Siazon stressed the need for the Regional Forum to progress.
"ASEAN may need to build upon the success of existing regional security institutions in order to preserve the stability of our region and avoid the danger of overreliance on third parties," Pitsuwan said.
"We need to carry (the forum) further," Siazon said, adding that the "way forward points to the establishment of mechanisms for preventative diplomacy and conflict resolution".
However, in a rather ironic tone, Siazon asked: "When do we move from CBMs to preventive diplomacy and to conflict resolution? What security agreements binding to us all are in the offing?"
Discussing the rising tension in the South China Sea, where Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China and Taiwan all have overlapping claims, Vietnamese foreign minister Nguyen Manh Cam expressed regret this tension disturbed regional peace and stability.
"We reiterate our view that disputes in the Eastern Sea (South China Sea) should be resolved only by peaceful means through bilateral and multilateral negotiations," he said.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Singapore foreign ministry confirmed a reference to the recent tension between China and Taiwan would be included in a joint communique due to be issued on Saturday.
"The ministers are concerned regional peace and stability and prospects for economic recovery could be effected (by the tension)," the spokesman said.
"They also reaffirmed their one-China policy," he added.