ASEAN stresses importance of regional security
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.