ASEAN voices support for RI's territorial integrity

By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

BANGKOK (JP): Indonesia scored a diplomatic triumph here on Tuesday when the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) included an expression of support for the country's territorial integrity in the Joint Communique of the 33rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.

The inclusion of this statement of support in the communique raised some eyebrows, as ASEAN does not normally refer to member states' specific political situations in official declarations.

The statement, contained in an exclusive paragraph in the 13- page document, not only affirms support for Indonesia's territorial integrity as a whole, but also specifically makes reference to the restless provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya, where separatist sentiments are heightening.

"The foreign ministers reiterated their continuing support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of Indonesia, which includes the provinces of Aceh and Irian Jaya (Papua)," the communique reads.

"The foreign ministers commended the efforts and measures taken by the Indonesian government to restore peace and order.

"The foreign ministers reaffirmed that the stability and prosperity of Indonesia would positively contribute to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asian region as a whole," according to the communique.

The communique, issued on Tuesday evening at the foreign ministers annual two-day meeting here, was also a major boost for Jakarta as it lauded Indonesia's role in resolving the East Timor issue.

This was an extreme departure from western criticism of Indonesia for not doing enough to resolve the problems related to its former province.

"The foreign ministers commended Indonesia for all its efforts in resolving the East Timor issue, and noted the key role of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) in ensuring the territory's smooth transition to full independence," the ASEAN communique reads.

ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, has traditionally shied away from domestic political issues, strictly adhering to the principle of nonintervention.

A number of ASEAN officials revealed the Indonesian delegation drafted the paragraph voicing support for Indonesia's territorial integrity.

There also seemed to be little expressed concern among ASEAN delegates at the close of Tuesday's proceedings that a dangerous precedent had been set.

Since ASEAN does not interfere in domestic issues, can a member state then raise a domestic issue to gain regional support? ASEAN secretary-general Rodolfo Severino brushed aside such concerns.

"It is in everyone's interest that Indonesia stay together," he told The Jakarta Post here after the close of official proceedings. "I don't think that this is entirely a domestic issue. The (threatened) breakup of Indonesia is something very serious."

When asked whether Indonesia might be using or exploiting ASEAN for its own domestic political interests, Severino replied: "Indonesia is using ASEAN, and ASEAN is supporting Indonesia."

Asked if there were other such issues which might be addressed by ASEAN in the future, such as the separatist movement in Mindanao in the Philippines, Severino simply replied: "I don't know. I don't think we have reached that point".

Approach

The Joint Communique also addressed a multitude of regional issues covering economic, security and social affairs which require greater people-oriented approaches.

In the economic sphere, the ministers welcomed Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's proposal to hold an ASEAN Trade Fair to help increase trade in the region.

Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Surin Pitsuwan said Thailand had offered to hold the first fair, which would be hosted on a rotational basis every three years.

On regional political issues, the foreign ministers expressed satisfaction with "East Asia cooperation" in the context of meetings of the 10 ASEAN members and China, Japan and South Korea. Ministers from these 13 countries are scheduled to sit down together here on Wednesday.

The foreign ministers stressed the formalization of this meeting, dubbed "ASEAN+3", was not meant as another security forum which could undermine the established ASEAN Regional Forum.

"The ASEAN+3 is a result of the evolution of the cooperation between ASEAN and these three countries in East Asia ... I think we are convinced, they are convinced, that the two parts of Asia -- southeast and northeast -- can no longer live apart in isolation from each other," Surin said.

On social affairs, the foreign ministers agreed that an ASEAN HIV/AIDS Summit be convened in conjunction with the seventh ASEAN Summit next year.

The ASEAN foreign ministers also agreed to move forward the target date for achieving a "drug-free ASEAN" from 2020 to 2015.

Surin said this was a priority issue among member states "which effects us all".

However, when asked what specific actions ASEAN would take to achieve this goal, Surin merely said it would be left to the relevant officials. "The important thing is there is a will to move forward ... measure us against our progress."