RI prepares ARF membership criteria

RI prepares ARF membership criteria

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is preparing a set of guidelines which will become the criteria for new membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) which is set to meet here in July, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said.

He told the press on Wednesday that the process has yet to be completed, but would not elaborate.

The ARF is a regional security forum initiated by the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- in July 25, 1993.

Its aim is to minimize confrontation through the promotion of mutual understanding, goodwill and confidence-building measures.

Its membership has now expanded to 18, comprising also Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Korea, the United States and the European Commission.

The third ARF meeting is scheduled to be held here in July. One of the main issues expected to be raised is the question of new members.

Speaking after a meeting with United States' Deputy Secretary of State Peter Tarnoff here on Wednesday, Alatas said that it was in anticipation of new members that Indonesia was defining new criteria for entry.

Alatas said he informed Tarnoff of Britain and France's strong desire for membership separate from the European Commission.

India

Another issue discussed by international affairs analysts is the fact that India in December was accepted as a full dialog partner of ASEAN, thus opening the door for its entry into the ARF.

Concern has been expressed because India is as an undeclared nuclear power and has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

However, "Nuclear or non-nuclear is not a factor in joining ARF; it is a regional organization. The ASEAN Regional Forum is more directed towards regional representation," Alatas said.

Of his meeting with Tarnoff, Alatas said they discussed a whole range of issues but did not specifically talk about the annual State Department report on human rights released recently which once again pointed to violations here.

"We think that the report is often unbalanced, not always picturing the positive achievements of Indonesia in this field side by side with the shortcomings," he said. "We have stopped reacting to it".

Tarnoff said his trip here showed Washington's broad interest in maintaining strong relations with countries in the region.

He ended his two-day visit here yesterday. (mds)