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 Indonesia in its ASEAN Security Community (ASC) concept points out that the old principles have become outdated and could even backfire at a time when many countries in the region were facing the stirrings of democratization.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.