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Australia and ASEAN - A Future Toge



Subject: Australia and ASEAN - A Future Together


		ASEAN and Australia - A Future Together
		***************************************

(Address by The Hon Alexander Downer, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to 
 the ASEAN 30th Anniversary Seminar, Sydney, 26 August 1997.)

Introduction
------------

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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