Expert hails Soeharto's contribution to ASEAN

Expert hails Soeharto's contribution to ASEAN

JAKARTA (JP): An American political scientist has hailed
President Soeharto for unceasingly promoting the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and allowing it to grow into a
preeminent global organization.

Frederick Z. Brown of John Hopkins University said yesterday
that Soeharto's support for Indonesia's neighbors was a strong
pillar of the region's stability. This stability, in turn, has
helped the region develop into an economically vibrant area of
growth.

Speaking at the Worldnet dialog beamed directly from
Washington to ASEAN capitals, Brown pointed to Soeharto's
continued backing of Thailand as a frontline state during the
Vietnam war and of former Philippine President Cory Aquino.

Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN which now groups
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam. The organization marks its 30th anniversary this year.

Brown, who is associate director of the southeast Asian
program at the University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced
International Studies, has much experience of the region having
served as a U.S. foreign service officer in Thailand.

Presenting an outlook of the second Clinton administration's
foreign policy toward southeast Asia, Brown said Washington's
concerns over human rights would continue to be an element in
bilateral ties with all countries in the region, including
Indonesia.

However, he argued that policies would not concentrate on
human rights.

"Human rights will be a prominent part of our policy vis-a-vis
Indonesia, but it's not going to overcome or take the place of
commercial interests or of a very good political relationship
with your government," he said.

When asked by Asian panelists whether he thought the Clinton
administration would pay less attention to southeast Asia in the
next four years than in the last, Brown said that, due to the
region's economic strength and stability, the U.S. no longer
needed to give the region special attention.

"I do not think southeast Asia is going to occupy as important
a place on the menu of foreign affairs of the United States as,
say, the Middle Eastern peace process or the question of NATO
expansion," he said.

"The region is doing very well on its own. You have the
preeminent regional consultative organization in the world. You
have strong economies, you are addressing the problems of your
societies in one way or another. I wonder whether you really want
the United States to pay more attention to southeast Asia."

During yesterday's live telecast, Brown had generous words for
newly appointed Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and
expected her to excel in her new post.

Brown said she would be "forthright" on matters such as human
rights. (mds)