ASEAN to step up regional security commitments

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

When the foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gather on Wednesday for their annual meeting, they will likely realize that Indonesia is regaining its self-confidence as a major player in the regional grouping.

Using the opportunity as the one-year chair of the regional grouping, Indonesia is on the path to regaining its leading role, if not its leadership, in ASEAN, which it lost following the fall of Soeharto in 1998.

Indonesia's newfound confidence is reflected in the country's success in gradually convincing its neighbors to accept its ASEAN Security Community (ASC) concept as a crucial part of the grouping's road toward achieving its ambitious plan to create an ASEAN Community by 2020.

However, Indonesia has not had it all its own way and has had to make major concessions by pulling back from many of its original ideas on ASC.

Indonesia surprised most member countries of ASEAN by proposing ASC during the Phnom Penh ministerial meeting last year, as the bold initiative touched on sensitive issues such as domestic political developments and security. ASC is one of the three pillars of the envisioned ASEAN Community, the other two being the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Sociocultural Community.

After a year of discussions among senior officials, the member countries agreed to include the ASC concept as part of ASEAN's course as it moves toward 2020 and the ASEAN Community.

"The AMM (ASEAN Ministerial Meeting) will take up the issue of ASC with follow-up action as an item on the meeting's agenda, meaning they will continuously review the progress," Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Tuesday.

He underlined that with this endorsement, the security community concept was no longer the monopoly of Indonesia, but was part of the wider ASEAN commitment.

However, the plan of action is much less than the original draft proposed by Indonesia, which gave specific time frames for the implementation of action plans in each area of activity. Indonesia's proposal to set up a peacekeeping force was also rejected.

According to the revised ASC plan of action, which is expected to be endorsed by the ministers on Wednesday, the areas of activity in building the community can be achieved at a pace comfortable for all of the member countries.

On the political development component, ASEAN member countries agreed not to condone unconstitutional and undemocratic changes of government or the use of their territory for any actions undermining the peace, security and stability of other member countries.

Citing its maturity and increased confidence since its inception in 1967, the 37th AMM is slated to agree to engage in a progressive security cooperation, but not in the form of a "defense pact, military alliance or a joint foreign policy".

"In addressing future security challenges, ASEAN member countries share the responsibility for strengthening peace, stability and security of the region free from foreign military interference in any form or manifestation," stated the draft ASC plan of action obtained by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

To implement the plan of action, ASEAN will seek innovative approaches to the six components of the security community: political development, the shaping and sharing of norms, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, post-conflict peace building and implementation mechanisms.

ASEAN also committed itself to the promotion of "a just, democratic and harmonious environment, promotion of human rights and obligations ...."

On Wednesday morning, President Megawati Soekarnoputri will receive the delegates at the State Palace, after which they will retreat to Gedung Pancasila, located in the foreign ministry. The delegates will later issue a joint communique.

On Thursday, ASEAN will meet with its major trading partners in the Post Ministerial Conference (PMC).

Friday's meeting, however, will attract major international attention because ASEAN will meet with 12 foreign ministers from the Asia Pacific, including U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, and the European Union, during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). -- (For more stories click National button)