RI suggests peacekeeping force

RI suggests peacekeeping force

Indonesia has proposed that ASEAN establish its own
peacekeeping forces by 2012.

Acting director general of the ASEAN cooperation of the
foreign ministry Marty Natalegawa said here Friday that the
proposal was in line with the action plan in the ASEAN Security
Community (ASC) concept.

"The idea came up in our deliberation over programs for the
ASC action plan," he was quoted as saying by Antara. Marty made
the comment on the sidelines of a meeting between ASEAN high
officials at the Hilton hotel.

The ASC document was incorporated in the Bali Concord II
during the ASEAN October 2003 summit in Bali.

Key points in the document include tackling issues such as
transnational crime, terrorism, conflict resolution and a call
for more consultation and cooperation between ASEAN members.

Asked how other ASEAN members responded toward Indonesia's
idea, Marty said they had not offered detailed answers as yet,
although they had found it a bold and far-fetched idea.

He said that he expected that the members needed time for
internal consultation.

The bottom-line, he said, was that the proposal was an
alternative for problem solving on a regional level.

"There has been no regional option so far, only national or
global. We must create a choice between those two levels," he
said.

He added that an ASEAN peacekeeping force would not make the
regional grouping into an exclusive club. ASEAN would be as open
to the international community as it has always been, and it
would always respect the United Nations peacekeeping forces, he
said.

"We would take advantage of the UN's expertise in setting up
our peacekeeping forces," he added, referring to possible
training by the UN Peacekeeping Forces.

The setting up of such forces cannot wait until it is needed,
he said.

"We have to anticipate all possibilities and lay down the
groundwork and be ready when it is needed," he said referring to
conflict resolution measures incorporated in the ASC concept.

He said he hoped the proposed peacekeeping forces would
someday have a headquarters in the region. -- JP