Informal ASEAN summit useless

A wise man once said that when it is not necessary to do anything, it is necessary not to do anything. It seemed obvious that the men who attended the informal ASEAN summit in Jakarta on the weekend were taking this advice.

On Myanmar, the leaders remained coy and refused to say when Yangon might join the group. On East Timor, the old line of not upsetting Indonesia was followed.

When the summit ended, one was left wondering why they bothered having it. This was particularly true of Thailand, which was represented only by the outgoing foreign minister. The other presidents and prime ministers had gathered just five days earlier in the Philippines for the APEC summit.

The main issue, however, was Myanmar. ASEAN saved some face and bought some time. Leaders decided to link Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. When all three are judged ready for ASEAN membership, they will be inducted together.

This is a questionable decision at best. It is a slap at Laos and Cambodia, small countries which are serious about joining ASEAN and which have made great efforts to prepare themselves.

Tying these two countries to the very different case of Myanmar is a bad idea. The three are unequal to each other in every way. They have different forms of government.

Cambodia is trying to establish democracy, Laos is trying to build a one-party socialist system and Myanmar rules by fear and intimidation.

ASEAN not only has the right but the duty to choose its friends and associates. The ideal of a 10-nation ASEAN is 30 years old. ASEAN has built itself from five members to six, and now to seven.

The other three countries should be accepted, one by one, on the basis of their applications. ASEAN doesn't do itself any favors by keeping Cambodia and Laos out of the group.

After this lackadaisical summit, it seems ASEAN could use a spinal transplant. This is not the ASEAN which collectively defended Cambodia against Vietnamese occupation. Nor is it the ASEAN that launched and directed one of the world's most amazing economic development plans.

The ASEAN of last weekend was gathered in a circle to protect the status quo. It needs to come up with some ideas of its own again, and not merely react to the ideas of others.

-- The Bangkok Post