U.S. hopes to boost ties with SE Asia despite Myanmar thorn
U.S. hopes to boost ties with SE Asia despite Myanmar thorn
P. Parameswaran, Agence France-Presse/Washington
The United States is determined to strengthen political and trade
ties with Southeast Asia even as it takes a tougher line on
Myanmar under new Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, officials
say.
This year, it could resume full military ties with Indonesia,
the world's most populous Muslim nation, and clinch its second
free trade deal in the region with Thailand, some analysts
predict.
Southeast Asia may not be familiar ground to Rice, who did
little traveling in her previous job as top security adviser to
President George W. Bush, but her piano-playing skills will come
in handy in breaking the ice with counterparts in the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Her first assignment in the region will be in July when she
attends the annual ASEAN meeting, where regional security issues
are discussed with key trading partners and ministers regularly
give their own take on classic tunes at an after-dinner show.
"I think you'll have a very musical secretary of state playing
the ivories in Southeast Asia this summer," said Washington-based
regional expert Ernest Bower, the former U.S.-ASEAN Business
Council chief.
But given her Senate pre-confirmation testimony in which she
branded Myanmar an "outpost of tyranny," Rice could give the
ASEAN ministers an earful on the need to reign in the military-
ruled state accused of human rights abuses.
The United States is very likely to boycott next year's ASEAN
meeting in Myanmar.
"I am prepared to make a prediction here: there is not a
chance in hell the United States is going to Burma (Myanmar) next
year unless dramatic changes takes place," said Karen Brooks, who
had worked under Rice as Asia director in the National Security
Council.
Aside from pushing democracy for Myanmar, Rice's other
priorities this year would be reestablishment of full military
ties with Indonesia, strengthening links with another Muslim
majority country Malaysia and traditional allies Thailand, the
Philippines and Singapore, Karen predicted.
She said more than a decade of "bad blood" resulting from
Washington's ban on key military cooperation with Indonesia due
to human rights problems had been largely erased, especially
after the recent tsunami disaster when their armies worked hand-
in-hand to offer relief to victims.
Another upbeat factor for U.S.-Southeast Asia relations is the
nomination of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick as
Rice's number two.
"He has a soft soft for the region and has established solid
links with leaders there over the years," Bower said.
Under Zoellick's stewardship last year, the United States
launched a free trade agreement with Singapore and negotiations
for a similar deal with Thailand, and sealed a trade and
investment framework agreement with Malaysia.
The moves were part of Bush's "Enterprise for ASEAN
Initiative" designed to strengthen ties with the region covering
a two-way annual trade of nearly US$120 billion. ASEAN is the
fifth largest U.S. trading partner.
U.S. officials talked to Singaporean and Malaysian
counterparts last week to expand trade ties.
In Singapore, they reviewed implementation of the one-year-old
free trade deal, during which two-way trade shot up more than 10
percent to about $40 billion and investment flows also improved.
"The results achieved during the first year of this
comprehensive free-trade agreement send a strong signal about the
benefits of free trade," said USTR spokeswoman Neena Moorjani.
In Kuala Lumpur, in their first formal meeting under the
bilateral framework agreement, the two countries held "robust and
constructive" talks on a range of issues, including market
access, customs procedures and enforcement of intellectual
property rights, Moorjani said.
"You'll see an opportunity for U.S. and Malaysia to announce
intention to negotiate a (free trade agreement) probably later
this year at some opportunity where there will be a very high
level visit either between heads of state or key ministers,"
Bower said.
Last month, the United States also held informal trade talks
with Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia,
Moorjani said.
The United States has framework deals with Indonesia, the
Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei and is working on one with
Cambodia.
"I would expect negotiations to be back on track with Thailand
and hopefully we can get a (free trade agreement) over the course
of this year," Bower said.
Brunei may enter into free trade discussions with the United
States just after or in parallel with the Malaysian negotiations
while the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia could follow suit
next year, he said.