Mega plays down opposition to U.S.' eying region

Mega plays down opposition to U.S.' eying region

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Just one day before the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Colin
Powell in Jakarta, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is
running in the country's presidential election next Monday, sent
an empathic message to the U.S. government by playing down strong
domestic opposition to Washington's growing attention to the
security situation in the Southeast Asian region.

Although she did not specifically mention the subjects of U.S.
concern, such as its recently stated interest in increasing its
military presence in the Strait of Malacca, the President urged
the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to
think positively about Washington's observations about the
region.

"We should also respond wisely to the revived strong interest
of the United States in Southeast Asia," the President said when
opening the 37th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) at the State
Palace.

Powell is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Thursday to attend
the ASEAN Regional Forum, which will be attended by ASEAN
members, 12 Asia-Pacific countries and the European Union. The
U.S.'s desire to increase its military presence to curb security
disturbances and possible terrorist attacks in the strait has
been strongly objected to by both Malaysia and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the President also criticized the non-interference
principle which for decades was a cardinal mantra among ASEAN
members. Indonesia in its ASEAN Security Community (ASC) concept
points out that the old principles have become outdated and could
even backfire at a time when many countries in the region were
facing the stirrings of democratization.

She told ASEAN countries to enhance political cooperation in
addressing various security problems, and to close off the
possibility of foreign intervention in the region.

"We can manage to resolve our disputes peacefully and
amicably, no matter how sensitive the issues may be. We should be
able to hold dialog among ourselves openly and frankly even on
internal or domestic issues that, if left unsettled, could have a
severe impact on the region," Megawati said.

She noted that various security problems in the region could
provoke unilateralism should the region fail to address them
jointly.

"A surge of unilateralism in international affairs has shunted
aside the established democratic ways of resolving disputes
between and among nations. The still unresolved nuclear issues on
the Korean Peninsula as well as the continuing vulnerability of
the East Asian economy have become a source of distress," the
President said.

She expressed the hope that ASEAN would step up cooperation to
overcome these threats and challenges in the future by building
stronger resilience among member countries.

"The rest of Asia and the Pacific, and the world at large, are
observing us. Let us not be engrossed in hiding our weaknesses,
let us show them our strengths by becoming the community that we
say we will be," she declared.

Availing of the momentum of chairing the regional grouping,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda strongly endorsed its
ASEAN Security Community (ASC) concept where the regional
grouping will boost security cooperation among its members in
facing outside or internal security threats so as to prevent
outside intervention.

In her speech, the President also cited the ongoing issue of
Myanmar, a member of the ASEAN family, especially regarding the
ongoing democratization process in military-ruled Myanmar.

"In this context, we gladly note that a member of the ASEAN
family, Myanmar, has added its voice to the cause of promoting
democracy. We do encourage Myanmar to take every action that will
add substance to the expression of its democratic aspirations,"
Megawati remarked.