ASEAN voices support for RI's territorial integrity

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."