RI pushes for peaceful bid on Spratlys
By Pandaya
BANGKOK (JP): Indonesia drummed up stronger support yesterday for its move to seek a peaceful solution to the potentially explosive conflict over the oil-rich Spratlys in the South China Sea.
Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, when addressing the annual ASEAN foreign ministerial meeting, said that the current relative stability in the Asia Pacific provided a good opportunity for peace efforts.
He said that Indonesia is preparing to hold the fifth workshop on the disputed Spratlys, stressing that the initiative implemented since 1990 has reached a "decisive stage."
Workshop participants, consisting of academics, technical experts and government officials acting in a private capacity, have gone beyond recommending general principles and are engaged now in the practical realm of identifying and proposing concrete projects in various fields, Alatas said.
He said what the Southeast Asian nations should do is maintain the momentum of the workshop process while the governments involved in the conflict restrain themselves from using force.
"More than ever, I am convinced that by developing peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation in the South China Sea, a more conducive climate will be created for the peaceful solution of the overlapping sovereignty and jurisdictional claims as well," he said.
The Spratlys are claimed in whole or part by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei.
Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the six ASEAN member countries which lay claim to Spratlys made no or only passing mention to the ongoing problem.
Philippines Foreign Secretary Roberto R. Romulo, for example only said: "And we could urged more and stronger endorsements of the ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea."
The Philippines was angered recently by Vietnam's building a lighthouse on one of the disputed islands. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam made no mention of the conflict in his address.
Earlier, Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said that the competition for ocean space and resources in the South China Sea was "particularly worrisome prospect."
Nuclear
ASEAN foreign ministers also agreed on the need to translate the concept of a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) and its component Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone into reality.
Alatas said that the situation is now rife for the realization of the ZOPFAN concept as there is relative peace in Southeast Asia, with Cambodia having succeeded in establishing a democratic government.
Thai Foreign Minister Prasong Soonsiri warned that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction will continue to pose a threat to security in the region especially because the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapon development remains unresolved.
He also expressed concern over the arms build-up in the Asia Pacific region."Although global defense spending has come down, it is rising in Asia," he said.
Security in the Asia Pacific region will be discussed next week in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which includes the ASEAN six, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, consultative partners China and Russia and seven dialog partners Japan, Canada, Australia, the United States, South Korea, New Zealand and the European Union.
Caucus
On economic matters, the foreign ministers focused on the promotion of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi still tried to convince his counterparts about the benefits of the East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC).
The other ASEAN members support the EAEC so long it is put into the APEC framework, but Malaysia keeps trying to make it a more independent grouping. Kuala Lumpur's move irritates countries like the U.S., which fears that the caucus would dilute APEC.
The ASEAN ministers will conclude their two-day meeting today and issue a joint communique.