33rd ASSEEIN

THE 33rd ASSEEIN


ASEAN ministers stress economic security as joint goal

The 33rd annual ASEAN meeting is being held in Bangkok, Thailand

July 26, 2000
Web posted at: 7:43 a.m. HKT (2343 GMT)





BANGKOK, Thailand -- ASEAN's foreign ministers were scheduled Tuesday to sign a joint declaration of policies to wrap up their two-day summit, and prepare for meetings on Asia-Pacific security.

The ministers' communique, designed to help the region's nations become more effective and efficient, was expected to stress the need for economic security and enhanced sharing of Information Technology to help create knowledge-based economies.

While the Thais have been pushing ASEAN to ease its tenet of non-interference in each state's affairs -- lobbying this week to create a mechanism where a troika of members could call meetings to discuss emergencies -- the idea was likely to be watered down in the final communique.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was formed in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, but has since grown to include Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, and Myanmar, also known as Burma. Cambodia joined ASEAN in 1999. The grouping meets annually to discuss regional issues.




BACKGROUND
ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. ASEAN's aim was to form an alliance that would provide an economic support base for members, allowing them to accelerate growth levels. There was also a desire to maintain regional security against the backdrop of Chinese threats to export revolution to Southeast Asian nations. Brunei joined in 1984. Membership came to Vietnam in 1995. Myanmar and Laos were admitted in 1997 and Cambodia in 1999. With Cambodia's entry, the ASEAN region has a population of about 500 million people.



Forum overshadowed
However, the killing on Monday of New Zealand soldier by armed rebels in East Timor and North Korea's first- ever attendance at the subsequent security forum overshadowed this year's forum.

The soldier's death -- the first combat fatality in the U.N. peacekeeping contingent in East Timor -- and worsening violence in Indonesia's Maluku islands underscored efforts by the Southeast Asians to raise their own security profile.

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan, whose country leads the 8,500-strong U.N. force on East Timor, expressed shock at the fatal clash, and said Thailand would push for more international involvement in East Timor.

"It's the most serious incident that has occurred, and Thailand has discussed with the U.N. administration in East Timor to help create a better atmosphere to reduce the tensions," Surin said.

Meanwhile, ASEAN's foreign ministers turned their attention to further thawing relations with North Korea. The association's annual meeting had been dominated by talk and headlines surrounding North Korean officials planned attendance Wednesday at ASEAN's regional security forum.

North Korean officials were to arrive in Bangkok on Tuesday night.

ASEAN welcomes North Korea
ASEAN's foreign ministers were expected to take the opportunity to reach out to North Korea, and to encourage the nation to play a greater role in regional affairs.

"I do hope there will be some breakthroughs in the bilateral discussions they have," Surin said.

North Korea's attendance comes weeks after the recent historic summit between North and South Korea, in which the nations agreed to work towards their eventually reunification. The United States, Japan, China and South Korea regularly attend the forum.

The ASEAN forum will be followed by an ASEAN-plus- three meeting that will include China, Japan and South Korea.

"We welcome North Korea into the (ASEAN Regional Forum), with the hope that it will serve to reinforce the progress and relevance of the ARF and its process," said Surin.

Alwi Shihab, Indonesia's foreign minister, said the goodwill generated by the Korean summit "could very well lead to the early solution of security issues once deemed intractable."

North Korea has long been considered a rogue nation by many countries, including the United States. North Korea shocked Asia in August 1998 when it test-fired a ballistic missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. U.S. officials have said North Korea could be able to hit any U.S. city with a nuclear warhead by 2005.

North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun was expected to participate in several bilateral meetings on the forum's sidelines -- including talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Lee Jong-binn and Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono.

Paek -- also scheduled to meet with the foreign ministers of Canada and Thailand -- reportedly wanted to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. However, U.S. officials said the Mideast peace talks at Camp David would likely prevent Albright from attending the forum.

Few policies expected
ASEAN's foreign ministers had not been expected to release more than vague support for greater regional cooperation, or few solid policies or new programs in their communique.

A draft of their final communique, obtained by Reuters, offered no commitment to tackle most of the problems that have engulfed Southeast Asia in recent years.

During Monday's talks, the foreign ministers said their bloc could be marginalized unless it woke up and dealt with several problems. Among the issues on this year's agenda were transnational crimes, including smuggling of drugs and people, enhanced regional cooperation and increased openness between member nations.

ASEAN's ministers had been expected to support Thailand's request that a three-nation panel be created to address regional crises -- such as forest fires that spread haze over frontiers and last year's violence in Indonesia's East Timor. ASEAN has admitted in the past that it has been slow to deal with crises in the region.

Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said regional cooperation should be deepened, especially since ASEAN includes all 10 Southeast Asian nations.

"Issues such as illicit drugs, trafficking of women and children, transnational crime and environmental degradation all represent obstacles to our development," he said during remarks to open the forum.

CNN Bangkok Bureau Chief John Raedler, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed