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Australia and ASEAN - A Future Toge
Subject: Australia and ASEAN - A Future Together
ASEAN and Australia - A Future Together
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(Address by The Hon Alexander Downer, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to
the ASEAN 30th Anniversary Seminar, Sydney, 26 August 1997.)
Introduction
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Secretary Siazon, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, other distinguished
guests.
I am delighted to have the opportunity to address this audience at a
seminar commemorating ASEAN's Thirtieth Anniversary.
As you may have noticed, I have spent a fair bit of my time in ASEAN
countries recently, including a long visit to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN
PMC, so this is a subject I feel well qualified to talk on.
Indeed, I welcome today Secretary Siazon, who is demonstrating that the
traffic goes both ways, and would like to say how much I am looking
forward to visiting the Philippines again in October this year.
In fact, Secretary Siazon, it was your Ambassador, Delia Albert, who
reminded me of the quip about ASEAN made by our former Prime Minister,
Malcolm Fraser, during a visit to the Philippines in 1978.
Mr Fraser remarked on that occasion that ASEAN had a second meaning for
Australians: it stands not only for the Association of South East Asian
Nations, but also for "Australia's South East Asian Neighbours".
The point is that ASEAN's members are Australia's close neighbours, and
we have close bilateral relations which are complemented by the excellent
ties we have with ASEAN as an organisation - and have had since its
inception in 1967.
Today, I want to talk to you about where ASEAN has been and where it's
going, and about how I see Australia's partnership with ASEAN developing.
In the parallel ASEAN symposium in Melbourne on Friday, my colleague the
Minister for Trade, Mr Fischer, will speak in depth about the economic
side of our partnership.
In particular, my address to you today will be on three themes:
First, the road to the present, and the foundation laid for the the
strong relationship now existing
between Australia and ASEAN.
Second, ASEAN's evolving role in the region.
And last, Australia's strengthening partnership with ASEAN.
PART ONE - ASEAN: The Road to the Present
-----------------------------------------
Only a starry-eyed optimist would have considered there was anything
auspicious about the year 1967 for the future of South East Asia. In
international relations the ever-escalating war in Vietnam and the
'Cultural Revolution' in China dominated images of Asia.
Nationalism and territorial tensions were fuelling suspicion among many
of the newly independent nations of South East Asia. The short term
prognosis did not look good.
Towards the end of that decade of considerable turmoil, the Bangkok
Declaration of 8 August 1967 was not immediately recognised
internationally as an historical watershed, particularly after two
short-lived attempts at regional cooperation, first, in 1959, the
Association of South-East Asia and then, in 1963, what was known as
Ma-Phil-Indo, which grouped Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.
But in 1997, after three decades of unprecedented harmony and
development, we understand just how critical that first meeting between
the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore
and Thailand was to be for South-East Asia and for the region.
Over the course of three decades there have been a number of major
milestones on the way to the cohesive regional grouping we see today.
At the first ASEAN Heads of Government in 1976, the landmark Declaration
of ASEAN Concord and Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South East Asia
were signed. Thereafter, through the 1970s and 1980s ASEAN's voice gained
influence in the region. Two defining issues, in particular,
cemented political cooperation within the group - the handling of the
refugee outflow after the reunification of Vietnam and the shaping of the
Cambodian peace settlement after the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979.
But it is in the last decade that we have seen the most profound
developments in ASEAN's cohesion. The establishment of the ASEAN Free
Trade Area - or AFTA - and of the ASEAN Regional Forum - or ARF - most
clearly underpin ASEAN's having emerged as a regional grouping of great
influence.
And in 1995 ASEAN's founding vision of one integrated South East Asian
community began to take real shape. Vietnam became the first socialist
state to gain membership and the Heads of Government of all ten South
East Asian countries met together for the first time in their history at a
special session of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok. And, of course we have
recently seen ASEAN come closer to that vision with the admission of
Burma and Laos.
The signing of the Bangkok Declaration and the formation of ASEAN was, it
is now clear, a momentous event in the region's history.
Australia's Longstanding Involvement with ASEAN
-----------------------------------------------
The Australian Government throughout the period leading up to the coming
together of ASEAN was certainly committed to cooperation with the
countries of the region. In fact, Lord Casey, Australia's
Foreign Minister throughout the fifties, stated unequivocally in 1954
that Australia's foreign policy was primarily concerned with South-East
Asia.
The special relationship which developed between Australia and the ASEAN
countries over this period was evident when Australia became, in 1974,
ASEAN's very first dialogue partner. Through this unique system of
bilateral relations with countries from around the world, inaugurated at
the first ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Program meeting in 1974,
ASEAN has built a global web of relations with most of the influential
players on the international scene.
Indeed, the ASEAN Australia Economic Cooperation Program aimed to give
substance to our new partnership and to facilitate ASEAN's efforts to
diversify its political cooperation into other areas of
shared regional priority.
Australia's long term commitment to the region's development is also
evident in its involvement in the Mekong Basin. Since the early days of
the Mekong River Commission, we have been involved in the development of
the Basin, providing funds, expertise and training.
Over the last twenty or so years, Australia has contributed two billion
Australian dollars in development assistance to the South East Asian
countries of the Basin alone. We helped Laos build the first ever bridge
over the Mekong, and in co-operation with Vietnam we are building the
second.
PART TWO - ASEAN's Evolving Role in the Region
----------------------------------------------
Today, ASEAN is a symbol of prosperity and success, at the heart of a
region glowing with opportunity and dynamic progress.
Many commentators have focused on ASEAN's growing economic strength, and
the work to integrate the disparate economies through measures such as
AFTA and the ASEAN Investment Area.
But parallel to ASEAN's economic success story, ASEAN countries have
worked hard and successfully to develop a political role for the
organisation, within the framework of consensus-based decision making and
non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
ASEAN's successful political framework is best illustrated at the suite
of meetings surrounding the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and the ARF each
year. From being a small closed shop, these meeting
have become a major foreign policy market place where not just regional
but also global players come to make their positions known and to cut new
deals.
The informal nature of the side meetings - not to mention the famous song
and dance routines - have created an atmosphere which is unique. It is
now the most important set of meetings in my international calendar.
One of ASEAN's greatest achievements has been its capacity to promote
stability among its members. ASEAN's tools are its consensus-based
diplomacy, its capacity to draw in the great powers in a non-threatening
way, and the clout its economic prosperity has given it, as well as the
long experience of many of its leaders.
As a result, South-East Asia, once regarded as one of the world's most
politically tumultuous regions, is now characterised, for the most part,
by longstanding stability. ASEAN is now, though, facing what is perhaps
its greatest challenge.
ASEAN's recent expansion to nine members is not only a realisation of the
founders's vision., it is also a turning point for the organisation. It
is a moment of truth as it takes on the challenge of using its prosperity
and consensus-based cohesion to assist the new members in participating
in the ASEAN success story. Laos and Vietnam have already demonstrated their
commitment to the ASEAN way, and I am confident that they will move
rapidly in co-operation with other ASEAN members.
But the region has two exceptions to the general rule of prosperity and
stability: Myanmar, commonly known as Burma in Australia, and Cambodia.
I only want to touch briefly on Burma today, to say that, like the rest
of the international community, Australia has deep concerns about the
situation in that sad country. I look forward to an improvement in our
bilateral relations as and when the situation in Burma improves. I urge
other ASEAN countries to endeavour to ensure Burma can contribute to the
political as well as economic success of the members of ASEAN.
Cambodia, despite the deferral of its ASEAN membership following the
events in Phnom Penh, has given ASEAN an opportunity to reveal its now
very substantial diplomatic capabilities.
Very early in the crisis, in its July emergency meeting, ASEAN showed it
was willing to play a key role , and over the following weeks,
culminating in recent Kuala Lumpur meetings, the rest of the
international community agreed that ASEAN was in the best position to be
a positive influence.
This is a new direction for ASEAN, a new challenge and a test of its
political model, its flexibility and adaptability. I am confident ASEAN
will meet this challenge successfully, and will play a positive and
constructive role to assist Cambodians find a peaceful, democratic and
constitutional resolution to their problems.
Indeed, the recent dramatic events in Cambodia have also highlighted the
increasing importance of the ASEAN Regional Forum or ARF. The value of
the ARF as a venue for addressing regional tensions was amply
demonstrated at its recent fourth meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Discussions about
Cambodia and Burma showed that the ARF was prepared to deal with
sensitive issues in an open and direct way. The ARF's clear support for
ASEAN's Cambodia initiative reflected an institution growing in maturity.
The ARF may in fact prove to be one of ASEAN's most important
contributions to regional affairs - if not the most important. It is only
four years old, a young organisation by international standards,
yet it has already established itself as the primary multilateral forum
for the discussion of security issues in the Asia Pacific region.
PART THREE - Australia's Strengthening Partnership with ASEAN
-------------------------------------------------------------
Having considered the stature which ASEAN has achieved over the last
thirty years and the challenges now facing it, I'd like now to outline
for you how we see Australia's already strong partnership with the region
and with ASEAN developing.
Certainly, the Australian Government has no higher foreign policy
priority than to contribute to the evolution of our region. And there is
no better way of doing that than through the establishment of
close and supportive links with ASEAN and its constituent countries.
Australia is now rapidly developing its economic and security links with
the region. This is a trend we can expect to see continuing, if not
accelerating, for the foreseeable future.
Australia is pleased to have been able to fuel ASEAN's remarkable
economic growth in its early years through the supply of Australian
agricultural and mineral products. Today, both ASEAN's requirements and
Australia's exports are more sophisticated, but we still cater to each
other's needs.
Australian merchandise exports to ASEAN have grown dramatically, by
almost 40 per cent in the past five years, to reach $A11.6 billion in
1996. ASEAN as a group is now Australia's second largest export market
buying over 15 per cent of our total merchandise exports.
Australia's imports from ASEAN have also risen strongly over the last
decade, with imports of manufactures such as computers and textile yarn,
becoming increasingly significant. In 1996 imports from ASEAN represented
10 per cent of Australia's total merchandise imports, up from just 5 per
cent a decade earlier.
Our next goal is to ensure that our strong trade and investment links
continue to grow by providing a solid base. This is to be provided by the
link between the ASEAN Free Trade Area - AFTA - and the Closer Economic
Relations of Australia and New Zealand - CER. I urge the business
communities in all our countries to help us make AFTA-CER an effective
mechanism for our mutual benefit - not just so that business prospers or
because we have an intellectual attachment to lowering trade barriers,
but because lower barriers and freer trade in goods and services will
create jobs and wealth for our communities.
The work we will put into AFTA-CER is one illustration of the importance
we place on the role of our partnership with ASEAN in ensuring
Australia's future prosperity; it is a work in progress which
has my strong support. A more topical, a more tangible and immediate
demonstration of Australia's commitment to the region and its political
and economic stability was provided by Australia's immediate readiness to
contribute to the Thai baht stabilisation package. In fact, as one
commentator said in The Australian, "In joining Hong Kong, Singapore and
Malaysia ... in the (baht) stabilisation program, Australia has done more
for its regional credentials in one day's action in Tokyo than a
year of blather from Canberra".
Well, I might have put it a little differently myself, but the basic
point is clear: Australia is not just a fairweather friend - it is with
the region for the long haul.
In addition to our extensive economic links, Australia has been building
a wide-ranging set of bilateral security linkages with individual ASEAN
countries. Our very important defence relationships with Malaysia and
Singapore through the Five Power Defence Arrangements are a vital
part of those linkages. More recently, Australia's Agreement on
Maintaining Security with Indonesia has formed another key component in
our web of bilateral security linkages with South East Asia. At
a less formal level, Australia has also been extending the number of
countries with which it has official bilateral dialogues on regional
security issues. We already have such a dialogue with Indonesia, but at
the ARF meeting last month I announced a number of important new dialogues,
including with the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. These bilateral
talks provide an opportunity to share views on a wide range of regional
security issues. They help to build trust and they add yet another
important layer to our relationships with the countries of ASEAN.
I believe they will provide a strong foundation for Australia's ASEAN
security links over the coming two decades. For that reason, they are a
key action element of the White Paper on Australia's foreign and trade
policy which is to be made public in the very near future.
Australia's increasing contribution to our region is perhaps most clearly
reflected in the growing people-to-people links being established by
business men and women, academics and students, and the media. These are
the linkages which perhaps have the most enduring effects.
Australians are everywhere in South-East Asia. There are thousands of
expatriate Australians with high quality services skills and expertise to
offer. These include highly skilled managers, engineers, investment
bankers, doctors and educators forging bonds which integrate
us even more firmly in the region's economy and society.
For the future, we see many areas of opportunities where Australia can
continue and expand the great tradition of cooperation which has grown up
between us in the decades since the Second World War. But one example is
ASEAN's proposed Mekong Basin Development Cooperation process. Given our
track record there we look forward to participating in ASEAN's
initiative as it expands to include donor countries.
Conclusion
----------
There is no question that Australia is committed to a deeper partnership
with the countries of the region in which we live.
Australia has a political, an economic and a long term social interest in
co-operating with other countries of the region to ensure our continued
collective prosperity and progress. Australia was prepared to participate
in the baht stabilisation program not just because Thailand is a good friend,
not just because it is in our interest to ensure fiscal stability, but
also because we want to work with our regional neighbours to secure our
collective future.
In this region we will need to continue to work together to ensure our
future prosperity and stability. As you in this room know better than
most, Australia's partnership with ASEAN and its countries is expanding
more and more, as we look for ways to deepen our relationship to our
mutual benefit.
This is a process that will go on with or without governments. But I can
tell you that the Government is committed to Australia and ASEAN's future
together. As I said before, I have no higher foreign policy priority than
to contribute to the evolution of our region.
Ultimately, Australia's partnership with ASEAN is a partnership of equals
and a partnershp with an extraordinary future.
[Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia, 26 August 1997]
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