RI urges ASEM members to oppose unilateralism in international issue

RI urges ASEM members to oppose unilateralism in international issue

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Indonesia, as the host of the fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
now underway in Denpasar, Bali, is calling on member countries to
reject unilateralism in dealing with international issues.

Ministry of foreign affairs director general for America and
Europe Arizal Effendi said countries participating in the meeting
were likely to reach a common perception about multilateralism.

"As the host country we would like to pursue efforts to
strengthen multilateralism and the United Nations, which has been
left out of several recent world crises," Arizal said here on
Monday.

The issue of multilateralism surfaced earlier this year after
the United States and a handful of allies launched a military
operation in Iraq without UN approval and in spite of strong
opposition from dozens of countries including France and Germany.

The operation led to the downfall of Iraqi dictator Saddam
Hussein and the current attempts to install a more Western-
friendly democratic system in Iraq by the U.S. and its strongest
ally, the United Kingdom.

In 2001, the U.S. and its allies deposed the Taliban
government in Afghanistan for its role in aiding and abetting the
head of the al-Qaeda terrorist network Osama bin Laden, the
principal suspect in the terrorist attacks in New York and
Washington in September 2001, but that action was, for the most
party authorized by the international community and the UN.

Arizal admitted that many developed countries opposed the
anti-unilateralism drive, but that "Indonesia is hoping that the
idea will be accepted by developed countries like the United
Kingdom and Japan".

Foreign ministers from 10 Asian countries -- Brunei, China,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- and three European countries
-- Italy, Belgium and Ireland -- have confirmed their
participation at the meeting where they will discuss various
regional issues such as North Korea's nuclear program and the war
on terrorism.

European Union Commissioner for External Relations Chris
Patten is also planning to make an appearance.

They are also expected to issue a chairman's statement and a
political declaration against the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, ostensibly to put more diplomatic pressure on
North Korea as it defies demands to halt its nuclear arms
program.

Arizal said the political declaration, proposed by Japan,
called on all countries throughout the world to eliminate weapons
of mass destruction.

"However, we still differ on how we should do that as Japan
suggests that it be conducted by several countries, but we
propose it be done under UN auspices," he said.

He said the differing views on the mechanism would be
addressed in the upcoming foreign minister's meeting. Indonesia,
he said, would remain firm in its stance to emphasize the central
role of UN.

The senior officials' meeting of ASEM will begin on Tuesday to
prepare the two documents to be discussed in the coming foreign
minister's meeting, which starts on Wednesday. President Megawati
Soekarnoputri is expected to be the keynote speaker at the
opening ceremonies.

Another sticking point sure to be brought up is the growing
concern over the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) from the
European Union which would retain the large subsidies for farmers
in those countries.

Arizal said that Indonesia, as a developing country, was
against the massive farm subsidies in Europe as they would kill
the competitive advantage of Indonesia's agriculture products.

"However, the issue will not be raised in this meeting as we
will only hear a report from the task force for bolstering closer
economic cooperation between the two continents," he said.