A Change of Guard

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Friday 25 July 2008

Paper Urges Members to Push to Get ASEAN to Resolve Thai-Cambodian Dispute

Text of report by Singapore newspaper The Straits Times website on 25 July

Article by Goh Sui noi: "Taking Stock - 'Long way to go' for Asean in boosting security ties

THE Thailand-Cambodia border dispute that erupted days ago dominated this year's Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM). And it dealt a blow to the bloc when the members were unable to reach a consensus on setting up a contact group to mediate the conflict. Cambodia had requested the grouping's assistance during the AMM to resolve the issue.

It also shows that Asean has 'got a long way to go in trying to foster deeper security cooperation among its members', noted Dr Tim Huxley, the Singapore-based Asia director of British think-tank International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The 10-nation grouping has set itself an ambitious goal of setting up a political-security community as part of a broader community by 2015.

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo yesterday said a blueprint for such a community is expected to be completed by the Asean Summit in Thailand this December.

With such high goals, the failure to use Asean and to reach some sort of accommodation in this case is a setback, said Dr Huxley.

What is clear is that Asean members should keep pushing to bring the issue into the Asean process.

'Otherwise, it would be difficult for Thailand to assume the chair while it is facing serious disputes with another Asean member,' said Asean-watcher Mely Caballero-Anthony. Thailand took over the chair from Singapore yesterday at the closing ceremony of the AMM and related conferences.

In a positive development yesterday, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to have another meeting next Monday to end the crisis. Phnom Penh had taken the case to the United Nations Security Council this week after an earlier bilateral talk did not produce any result, a move criticised by Asean as being 'premature'.

The two sides are laying claim to a 4.6 sq km piece of land surrounding the historic Preah Vihear temple. The current stand- off, with both countries sending troops to the site, occurred after the temple was designated a World Heritage Site.

The one positive sign from this episode is that Cambodia, as one of the newer members, has asked for help from the bloc, pointed out Asean scholar Yeo Lay Hwee.

This shows the trust in Asean's ability to do something and the thinking that the bloc is a useful institution.

Indeed, the sense among some Asean-watchers is that the newer member-states are taking the bloc more seriously than the older ones.

Myanmar, the recalcitrant one among the newer members, accepted an Asean-led post-Cyclone Nargis international relief effort after some prodding from colleagues.

Certainly, some members are distracted from real regional cooperation by their domestic political problems.

Cambodia and Thailand are going through a phase where domestic politics take priority, with Cambodia facing elections very soon and Thailand facing political instability. 'There is a temptation for the leaders in these two countries to posture and take up stances on regional issues for domestic political reasons,' said Dr Huxley.

Democratisation in Asean states has also meant greater complexity in managing external ties, noted Dr Yeo.

For example, in Indonesia, dissenting voices and approaching elections are causing uncertainty over whether the Asean Charter will be ratified by December, the target set for the document to come into force.

Still, the show must go on, and Asean decided during the AMM that it would go ahead with implementing some of its key provisions.

It formed two high-level groups to establish a human rights body and a dispute settlement mechanism. It will also appoint two additional deputy secretaries-general in November, and set up its committee of permanent representatives at the Asean Secretariat next January.

On the bright side, four of Asean's 10 dialogue partners -China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand -have made a commitment to send special envoys, at their meetings with the bloc, that are provided for under the new Charter. The United States had already appointed one in April.

This shows that they take Asean seriously as a significant and important bloc that is doing good work in many spheres and want to help it along, analysts say.

But the sense is that Asean must get its act together, particularly in the area of security, with some non-Asean participants of the Asean Regional Forum showing impatience that the forum is moving too slowly.

As Mr Yeo put it at the closing ceremony, Asean must back its words with actions to be taken seriously, and enhance its competitiveness in order to secure its place in the sun. It must maintain its central status in the region through having an active interest in regional and global affairs and playing a role that is helpful to others.

Above all, members must hang together or they will hang separately, he said.

Originally published by The Straits Times website, Singapore, in English 25 Jul 08.

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