Australia has agreed to sign ASEAN amity pact: Malaysia FM
Australia has agreed to sign ASEAN amity pact: Malaysia FM
Jasbant Singh, Associated Press/Kuala Lumpur
Australia has agreed to sign a nonaggression pact with its Southeast Asian neighbors, the Malaysian foreign minister said on Thursday, and an Australian analyst said the decision will likely be announced next week at a regional security forum.
Syed Hamid Albar told The Associated Press that his Australian counterpart, Alexander Downer, personally conveyed the decision to him a few days ago.
"The FM called me and informed me that Australia has agreed to ratify" the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, Syed Hamid said. Australia had long been opposed to the treaty, describing it as a remnant of the Cold War.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard had said that Canberra is more interested in the "substance" of its relationship with Southeast Asian countries rather than binding treaties.
The TAC requires signatories to renounce the use or threat of force against any member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. It allows for arbitration by a tribunal for disputes between signatory countries.
Australia's stand had created suspicions among ASEAN countries, especially after Howard said he would be prepared to launch pre-emptive strikes if terrorists in neighboring nations were planning to attack Australia.
ASEAN had told Australia it cannot attend the inaugural East Asia Summit in December in Kuala Lumpur unless it signs the treaty. It has been signed by seven other countries besides the 10 ASEAN members.
Following the reversal of its stand, Australia "will be most welcome to the East Asia Summit. So that's very good. It will boost cooperation, understanding, goodwill in all dimensions of economic, political and security spheres," Syed Hamid said.
Asked about the timing of the signing ceremony, he said: "I don't think there will be any problem. Whenever they want to sign it we can make the arrangements."
Separately, Australian National University Asian security expert Tony Kevin said Australia would likely announce its decision during Downer's trip to Laos starting Wednesday for the ASEAN Regional Forum, or ARF, Asia's biggest annual security meeting.
Australia has concerns about ASEAN's mechanism for resolving disputes under the treaty and wants to retain a right to criticize countries such as Myanmar despite the treaty barring interference in signatories' internal affairs.
Syed Hamid said ASEAN has provided clarifications on all issues sought by Australia.
Meanwhile, a senior Philippine diplomat said on Thursday that New Zealand and Mongolia will formally accede to the TAC in Laos on July 28. On the same day, Australia will sign a "declaration of intent to accede" to the treaty, the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.