RI urges Europe not to mesh bilateral issues
RI urges Europe not to mesh bilateral issues
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is calling on its European partners
not to connect bilateral problems, such as the East Timor issue,
with the overall cooperation between ASEAN and the European
Union.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said yesterday that
Portugal's insistence to drag the issue of East Timor into the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) dialog relations
with the EU is counterproductive and hurts other countries which
have nothing to do with the problem.
"For the progress of the ASEAN-EU dialog, don't mix it with
issues such as East Timor which is a bilateral matter and could
be discussed in other forums already available," he said.
Alatas held a 90-minute discussion with EU Vice-President
Manuel Marin here yesterday.
"Don't include a problem which really has no relevance, which
could destroy the relations between the two organizations," he
said after the meeting.
The 15-nation EU is a dialog partner of ASEAN which comprises
Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam.
However, relations between the two regional organizations are
often strained by the inclusion of social clauses and other
bilateral disputes in their dialog relations.
Diplomatic ties between Jakarta and Lisbon were broken after
Indonesia integrated the former Portuguese colony of East Timor
in 1976.
Portugal continues to find fault and used its membership in
the EU to cajole support from other members.
"We admit that there is a problem between Portugal and us, but
what we want is for it to be discussed at the proper forum,"
Alatas said.
"To be honest, in my opinion it shows an egoistic attitude
dragging other countries who really have no connection to the
issue," he said.
Alatas revealed that the previous day he also brought up the
issue with Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Van Mierlo and Irish
Foreign Minister Dick Spring.
"I think they displayed a general understanding and promised
to take this message to the Portuguese," Alatas said.
Manuel Marin after his meeting with Alatas said the EU was now
proposing a new framework for engagement with ASEAN.
He explained that three weeks ago the European Commission
forwarded a document proposing a new agenda for cooperation with
ASEAN.
The aim of this new agenda is that both sides should respect
and acknowledge differing political perceptions but would not
allow it to interfere with the overall framework of cooperation.
"In this new agenda we are going to try to organize a strong
political debate, strong economic links between us, progressing
in a very pragmatic approach. Putting together all the positive
elements and to create the condition even for discussion of the
elements that probably we have not agreed," Marin said.
Both Alatas and Marin said the new framework of cooperation
could be discussed during the next ASEAN-EU dialog meeting in
February in Singapore.
Alatas said the new approach must balance relations between
the two organizations both in the political and economic fields.
"We have to find a way to understand each other's position
rather than pretending that a problem doesn't exist." he said.
Marin also met with President Soeharto earlier yesterday
morning. (mds)