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Nation : Asean needs 'flexible enga



The Nation
Editorial & Opinion 

Asean needs 'flexible engagement'

BY KAVI CHONGKITTAVORN 

In a concerted effort to overcome opposition from Asean member countries,
the Foreign Ministry has redefined the concept of ''flexible engagement''
which will be officially presented as a non-paper when the Asean foreign
ministers meet this weekend in Manila. 

Several Asean members have expressed reservations after Foreign Minister
Surin Pitsuwan urged in his proposal last month that they should be more
open with each other and have frank discussions on domestic issues which
have implications on other members and the group's destiny. In effect, he
called for a review of the Asean way of doing things. 

Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos and Burma believe that member countries
should not tamper with the principle of non-interference. In other words,
they view the Thai initiative as a non-starter. The Philippines, which is
host to the meeting, is the only country which has given strong endorsement
to Surin's proposal, and said it will be one of the major subjects on the
agenda to be discussed. The other Asean countries are lying low adopting a
wait-and-see attitude. 

Given this, the Saranrom Palace has further softened its proposal to ensure
certain success. After all, Thailand cannot back down. In fact, the plan is
about Thailand's determination to implement a humane and principled
diplomacy, and to enhance and expand Asean's reputation and its
international leverage. 

Ahead of the Asean meeting, there have been thick accusations flying around
the region that Thailand is carrying a Western agenda, and worse, that it
is trying to echo the US' foreign policy objectives. Another absurd idea is
that Bangkok is trying to divide the grouping it helped found. 

Indeed, it would be strange to have Bangkok acting on behalf of any Western
country for Thailand has escaped Western colonisation and remained
independent throughout its modern history. The Thai government has no
anti-Western historical baggage. It, however, carries with it universal
values emanating from the Eastern part of the world. 

It is not surprising that Bangkok feels quite at ease and has no qualms in
changing its proposal to get everyone on board. It is a big challenge
knowing full well the prevailing divergent viewpoints and scepticism among
Asean colleagues. 

Extensive discussions with Saranrom officials revealed five key components
in the flexible-engagement approach, which are all in compliance and
consistent with the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation signed by the
Asean leaders in Bali in 1976. 

First and foremost, is the continued commitment to the non-interference
principle as the main instrument in conducting relations within Asean and
the international community. 

In addition, the approach also entails the effort to create an Asean
community, as envisaged in the Asean Vision 2020, which will reflect unity
in diversity because of the diverse economic, political and cultural
background of the member countries. Apart from these declared principles
and vision, Asean members have responsibilities and rights in engagement
that will contribute to the grouping's common goals. 

Although Asean has never been involved in the settlement of bilateral
issues in its 31-year history, the Thai government believes that pro-active
engagement could help managing bilateral differences or improving bilateral
relations in the long run. It is hoped that these objectives could be
attained without sacrificing one's identity, beliefs, norms and values. 

To move along this path, the Thai proposal argues that the commitment to
the non-interference principle cannot and should not be absolute. It must
be subjected to reality tests and it must be flexible. 

In the past one year, the situation in the region has changed a great deal
and hence has made it more difficult to divide what is domestic affairs on
the one hand, and external or transnational issues on the other. As
witnessed in the region, many domestic affairs have obvious transnational
dimensions, adversely affecting neighbouring countries as well as the
region, and its relations with others. Haze, financial crisis,
transmigration and terrorism are some of these problems. 

As such, the affected countries should be able to speak out in constructive
manner, and this should not be construed as ''interference'' in fellow
members' domestic affairs. 

''Flexible engagement'' is a very sensitive issue for Asean because its
leaders seldom talk openly, even in closed-door sessions. Malaysian Foreign
Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that the Asean way is unlike the way of
the European Union or any other regional grouping because it is based on
''eastern culture'' which has the tendency to avoid confrontation in cases
involving the sovereignty of other members. 

Finally, taken together, the flexible engagement and more active interest
in one another can help to promote Asean regionalism in the long-term. It
can act as an early-warning system to alert one another of the gravity of
certain domestically generated transnational or international problems. 

Thailand hopes to share with Asean colleagues valuable lessons it learned
from its mistakes during the past year. The most important is that the
rewards that come with flexibility and openness in Thailand's various
institutions and government and those countries going against such reforms
and transparency will be punished and be left behind. 



BY KAVI CHONGKITTAVORN 



The Nation