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.