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.