`ASEAN way' helps solves disputes

`ASEAN way' helps solves disputes

By Pandaya

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), which turns 27 years old today, is by no means is free
of disputes among its six members. However, it has a way of
resolving these problems, which its Secretary General Dato' Ajit
Singh describes as the "ASEAN way".

Dato Ajit, in an interview with The Jakarta Post, denied
suggestions that internal bickering, which has never surfaced in
ASEAN meetings, has been swept under the carpet.

Member countries resolve their conflicts with their neighbors
on bilateral basis "behind closed doors", he said. "If a conflict
is swept under the carpet, it will only make matters worse.

ASEAN was established on Aug. 8, 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand with the objective of
fostering regional economic cooperation. Brunei joined the group
in 1984 immediately after it became an independent state.

The organization has flourished by expanding its areas of
cooperation and also increasingly playing an important role in
regional and world affairs. ASEAN now counts the United States,
Japan among its "dialog partners" and Russia and China among its
"consultative partners".

Last year, the organization launched an ambitious plan to turn
the region into a free trade area within 15 years.

Cynics say that an important part of the ASEAN success story
is its ability to hide the numerous disputes among its six member
states.

Almost all of the member countries have overlapping
territorial claims: Malaysia and Indonesia are now disputing
sovereignty over the Ligitan and Sipadan islands; Singapore and
Malaysia are fighting over Batu Puteh island; Brunei, the
Philippines and Malaysia are also disputing the Spratly Islands
in the South China Sea that are also being claimed by Vietnam,
China and Taiwan.

Malaysia and the Philippines are still finding peaceful
solutions to their dispute over Sabah. "The two will work out the
matter within the framework of ASEAN without disrupting intra-
ASEAN relations," he said.

Member countries like to adopt the "ASEAN way" to resolve
differences, Dato' Ajit said citing as an example the proposal to
establish a joint authority to exploit resources in the South
China Sea conflict. One fundamental principle is that no
bilateral problems can be raised in the ASEAN forum, he added.

With the end of the Cambodian war, the way is now open for
other countries in Southeast Asia to join ASEAN. Vietnam is
expected to be formally admitted next year. Laos is already
attending ASEAN meetings as an observer and Cambodia as a guest
of ASEAN. Myanmar attended for the first time in Bangkok last
month. ASEAN leaders are envisaging that the group one day will
include all the 10 Southeast Asian countries.

Dato' Ajit, a senior Malaysian diplomat assigned to head the
Secretariat in Jakarta since 1993, said ASEAN's most important
achievement during its 27 year history was the peace and
stability that each member country enjoyed.

"If we look at other countries, we can have great satisfaction
about the region (as far as stability is concerned)," he said.

The peace and stability have enabled ASEAN governments to
focus on economic and social development, making Southeast Asia
one of the world's most dynamic regions.

A lot of progress can be attributed to ASEAN, he said. "People
can move about freely, and governments can concentrate on raising
people's standard of living, building housing and providing a
better education," he said.

Behind the dazzling achievements, however, are a range of
serious problems which remain to be solved.

About 90 million people in ASEAN are still in poverty, and the
region is facing the pressing problem of environmental
degradation and migration to urban centers, he said, listing some
of ASEAN's challenges.

EAEC -- Page 4