Divided ASEAN foreign ministers cut short retreat as war looms
Divided ASEAN foreign ministers cut short retreat as war looms
Eileen Ng, Agence France-Presse, Karambunai, Malaysia
Southeast Asian foreign ministers, divided over a looming U.S.-
led attack on Iraq, cut short informal talks here Wednesday to
fly home before war breaks.
Setting aside their differences, ministers from the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) tasked their
economic ministers to study the financial fallout of war and
discussed plans to beef up security cooperation to counter an
expected increase in terrorist activities.
Talks which were scheduled to run through Thursday ended just
after lunch Wednesday on the eve of a U.S. deadline for Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein to go into exile or face war.
"Due to the circumstances of the war... we have cut short the
meeting for one day," Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who
chaired the meeting at a secluded resort here, told a news
conference.
"We recognized this war will have very negative consequences
and we are very concerned. Terrorist activities will be
increased."
The ministers agreed to be involved in humanitarian assistance
to Iraq, he said.
Hor said ASEAN ministers also expressed concern over the
tension in the Korean peninsula and urged Asia's top security
group, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), to play a role as
mediator.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the imminent
war in Iraq had "divided the world in a way that is quite scary"
and ASEAN must now be more vigilant against the terrorist threat.
He warned the war could spark a "catastrophe" and urged the
international community to stand up against this "unlawful act."
"This will be a very sad day and it will be a big mistake that
has serious repercussions the world over," he said.
"We reiterate our belief in the multilateralism process...
that all international conflicts must be resolved through the
UN."
The 10-member ASEAN is split over the U.S.-led war on Iraq,
with traditional U.S. allies Singapore, the Philippines and
Thailand pitted against Muslim nations Indonesia, Malaysia and
Brunei.
Singapore and the Philippines have urged the grouping to focus
instead on ways to cope with the aftermath of war, such as
ensuring adequate oil supplies and enhancing anti-terrorism
cooperation.
Philippines foreign affairs undersecretary Lauro Baja said
Manila was among the 30 countries that have openly backed
Washington, while Singapore and Thailand were on the list of 15
nations that lent support but wished to remain anonymous.
Baja, who is representing Philippines Foreign Minister Blas
Ople, said Manila "perceives there is a failure of the UN to
act."
"Our national interest also dictates that we support a method
which will really disarm Iraq and perhaps promote a safer and
more stable Middle East region where we have 1.5 million
workers," he said.
Baja urged ASEAN to discuss ways for oil-producing nations
like Indonesia and Malaysia to be on stand-by to help neighbors
in need, and to intensify cooperation to counter an expected
increase in terrorist attacks.
Singapore Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar said action against
Iraq would benefit world peace and stability.
Syed Hamid said a two-day ARF officials meeting starting
Friday, co-chaired by the United States and Malaysia to discuss
border and document security, would proceed as planned.
A Malaysian statement said a total of 105 delegates, including
defense and police officials, from 18 countries would be involved
in talks aimed at forging closer cooperation to combat terror in
light of the looming war.
The United States has downgraded its presence, with the head
of the counter-terrorism office in the U.S. State Department,
Cofer Black, canceling his trip.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
ARF consists of the 10 ASEAN states along with Australia,
Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New
Zealand, South Korea, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia and
the United States.