China and India join ASEAN security pact

China and India join ASEAN security pact

The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

China and India signed the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and
Cooperation on Wednesday, renouncing war as a means to settle
disputes among signatory countries.

In the two signing ceremonies attended by the 10 heads of
state of the ASEAN member countries, Chinese Prime Minister Wen
Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the
document.

"The most important element of the document is the
renouncement of war as a means to settle disputes among related
countries," Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda said.

He said the treaty bound China and India to maintain peaceful
relations and not to resort to violence to resolve conflicts.

"This is a strategic cooperation, and Russia is also expected
to sign the treaty next year," the minister said.

The treaty was introduced by ASEAN countries during the first
ASEAN summit in 1976, also in Bali. It called on the Southeast
Asia countries to reject the use of force in the region.

China and India are the first dialog partner countries of the
regional grouping to sign the treaty.

Russia has stated its intention to sign the treaty and was
originally scheduled to do so at this summit, but it is still
awaiting approval from its parliament. It is now expected to sign
the treaty in June next year, during the ASEAN ministerial
meeting.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad welcomed the
development, saying the signing of the treaty by China and India
would further ensure peace in the region.

"It will be a good thing for the 2.4 billion people of ASEAN,
China and India. The chances for them to live in peace will be
much better," Mahathir said in a press conference at the end of
the ASEAN Summit.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also welcomed the
decision. "We need to carry out cooperation, to solve problems in
the region and explicitly state that we shall seek to contribute
to the peace and stability in East Asia."

Hassan said Indonesia expected the ASEAN dialog partners Japan
and South Korea would also sign the treaty in the future.

"They have said that they are carefully considering signing
the treaty," Hassan said, underlining that ASEAN wished to see
Japan join the fold as soon as possible.

Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs acting director general
for ASEAN, Marty Natalegawa, said the Japanese delegation
informed the meeting that they were considering whether signing
the treaty would limit the country's strategic cooperation with
the United States.

"You should pose the question to the Japanese officials. We
have been told that there have been some questions within Japan
about how this will impact on the special relation with the
U.S.," Marty said.

"They are considering whether the treaty will limit their
cooperation with the United States, but it is best to have the
question answered by the Japanese side," the Indonesian official
said.