ID :
133704
Tue, 07/20/2010 - 12:10
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/133704
The shortlink copeid
ASEAN PREFERS AN EXPANDED EAS THAN ASEAN+8 TO ACCOMMODATE US, RUSSIA
From Jamaluddin Muhammad
HANOI, July 19 (Bernama) -- The Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) beginning here Monday is unlikely to be as stormy as Typhoon Conson which struck northern Vietnam as a tropical storm Saturday.
This is because Asean top diplomats have prepared some solutions for their
foreign ministers to consider, particularly on the important issue of whether to
expand the East Asia Summit (EAS) or set up Asean+8 to accommodate the United
States and Russia in the regional grouping.
Asean is more inclined towards expanding the EAS rather than establishing
Asean+8 to accommodate the two major powers as the new partners of the grouping.
Malaysian Foreign Ministry secretary-general Rastam Mohd Isa said Monday
most of the Asean diplomats favourably opted for the former as they wanted to
maintain the central role of Asean.
He said the United States and Russia qualified to join the EAS as they had
fulfilled all the three main conditions -- they were already Asean dialogue
partners, they have acceded to the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and
they enjoy a substantive relationship with Asean.
Asean is the driving force behind the EAS, a forum held annually by leaders
of 16 countries in the East Asian region since 2005. Its members comprise the 10
Asean countries as well as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New
Zealand.
Including the United States and Russia means that the EAS would have to
expand its partnership to non-East Asian countries.
Russia had indicated in 2005 itself, when the EAS was formed, that it wanted
to join the grouping, said Rastam.
Furthermore, EAS was a leaders-led forum which upheld the principle that it
should be an inclusive entity and not a closed one, he said.
He said Asean feared that the expansion of Asean+6, comprising Asean and its
six dialogue partners China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New
Zealand, into Asean+8, with the addition of the United States and Russia, would
dilute Asean's central role and focus.
With the EAS, the meeting must be held every year in an Asean country and
presided by an Asean country chairman.
Rastam said important countries such as China, Japan and India were already
in the EAS club and the United States and Russia would not want to miss the
opportunity to be in as well.
What will happen though when Myanmar holds the Asean chairmanship and
chairs the EAS meeting in Myanmar as the United States has a very cold
relationship with Yangon?
"It is still a long way to go as Myanmar's turn will be in 2016 and a lot of
developments will take place, including Myanmar's democratisation process, in
another six years," he said.
After Vietnam, the Asean chairmanship will be handed over to Indonesia (in
2011) as the country has swapped the post with Brunei. Then it be move on to
Cambodia (2012), Brunei (2013), Laos (2014), Malaysia (2015) and then Myanmar
(2016).
The AMM is likely to forward its recommendation on the expansion of the EAS
to the Asean leaders at their summit in Hanoi in October.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the AMM as France was quite
reluctant to accede to the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) because
the treaty document was not produced in the French language.
"France insisted that the treaty be in French while Asean's stand was that
English has always been the language for all its treaties. The ball is now in
France's court on whether they want to sign the TAC," Rastam said.
The TAC, among others, aims to promote peace, everlasting amity and
cooperation among the Asean peoples, which would contribute to their strength,
solidarity and closer relationship.
Without France, the European Union could not accede to the TAC as a group,
Rastam said.
Asean, on the other hand, would have to amend the 3rd protocol of the TAC if
it wanted to accommodate the European Union accession as the present protocol
allowed only countries, and not groupings, to accede to TAC, he said.
-- BERNAMA
HANOI, July 19 (Bernama) -- The Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) beginning here Monday is unlikely to be as stormy as Typhoon Conson which struck northern Vietnam as a tropical storm Saturday.
This is because Asean top diplomats have prepared some solutions for their
foreign ministers to consider, particularly on the important issue of whether to
expand the East Asia Summit (EAS) or set up Asean+8 to accommodate the United
States and Russia in the regional grouping.
Asean is more inclined towards expanding the EAS rather than establishing
Asean+8 to accommodate the two major powers as the new partners of the grouping.
Malaysian Foreign Ministry secretary-general Rastam Mohd Isa said Monday
most of the Asean diplomats favourably opted for the former as they wanted to
maintain the central role of Asean.
He said the United States and Russia qualified to join the EAS as they had
fulfilled all the three main conditions -- they were already Asean dialogue
partners, they have acceded to the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and
they enjoy a substantive relationship with Asean.
Asean is the driving force behind the EAS, a forum held annually by leaders
of 16 countries in the East Asian region since 2005. Its members comprise the 10
Asean countries as well as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New
Zealand.
Including the United States and Russia means that the EAS would have to
expand its partnership to non-East Asian countries.
Russia had indicated in 2005 itself, when the EAS was formed, that it wanted
to join the grouping, said Rastam.
Furthermore, EAS was a leaders-led forum which upheld the principle that it
should be an inclusive entity and not a closed one, he said.
He said Asean feared that the expansion of Asean+6, comprising Asean and its
six dialogue partners China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New
Zealand, into Asean+8, with the addition of the United States and Russia, would
dilute Asean's central role and focus.
With the EAS, the meeting must be held every year in an Asean country and
presided by an Asean country chairman.
Rastam said important countries such as China, Japan and India were already
in the EAS club and the United States and Russia would not want to miss the
opportunity to be in as well.
What will happen though when Myanmar holds the Asean chairmanship and
chairs the EAS meeting in Myanmar as the United States has a very cold
relationship with Yangon?
"It is still a long way to go as Myanmar's turn will be in 2016 and a lot of
developments will take place, including Myanmar's democratisation process, in
another six years," he said.
After Vietnam, the Asean chairmanship will be handed over to Indonesia (in
2011) as the country has swapped the post with Brunei. Then it be move on to
Cambodia (2012), Brunei (2013), Laos (2014), Malaysia (2015) and then Myanmar
(2016).
The AMM is likely to forward its recommendation on the expansion of the EAS
to the Asean leaders at their summit in Hanoi in October.
However, it was not all smooth sailing for the AMM as France was quite
reluctant to accede to the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) because
the treaty document was not produced in the French language.
"France insisted that the treaty be in French while Asean's stand was that
English has always been the language for all its treaties. The ball is now in
France's court on whether they want to sign the TAC," Rastam said.
The TAC, among others, aims to promote peace, everlasting amity and
cooperation among the Asean peoples, which would contribute to their strength,
solidarity and closer relationship.
Without France, the European Union could not accede to the TAC as a group,
Rastam said.
Asean, on the other hand, would have to amend the 3rd protocol of the TAC if
it wanted to accommodate the European Union accession as the present protocol
allowed only countries, and not groupings, to accede to TAC, he said.
-- BERNAMA
