ASEAN to step up regional security commitments

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). --
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