VOA : ASEAN MEETING - GARY THOMAS (

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

VOA:DATE=7/15/98 ASEAN MEETING - GARY THOMAS (BANGKOK)
 

INTRO:  FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE "ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN 
NATIONS" WILL MEET IN MANILA LATE NEXT WEEK.  THAT MEETING WILL 
BE FOLLOWED BY TALKS WITH SO-CALLED -- DIALOGUE PARTNERS -- FROM 
NON-ASEAN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES.  CORRESPONDENT 
GARY THOMAS TALKED TO ONE ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTER -- MALAYSIAN 
FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI -- ABOUT THE EXPECTED 
AGENDA FOR THE MINISTERIAL MEETING, AND HAS THIS REPORT.

TEXT:  MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI SAYS THE 
ASIAN ECONOMIC CRISIS IS EXPECTED TO DOMINATE THE DISCUSSIONS 
AMONG" ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS" FOREIGN MINISTERS 
WHEN THEY MEET NEXT WEEK.

SPEAKING BY TELEPHONE FROM HIS OFFICE IN KUALA LUMPUR, MR. BADAWI
SAYS THE SITUATION HAS TAKEN A DRASTIC TURN, SINCE JAPAN 
SUCCUMBED TO THE ASIAN ECONOMIC FLU.  HE SAYS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED WITH ASEAN'S DIALOGUE PARTNERS IN THE 
POST-MINISTERIAL TALKS ON SECURITY ISSUES.

                        // BADAWI ACT //

         WE HAVE TO VIEW THE ECONOMIC CRISIS FROM THE SECURITY 
         PERSPECTIVE.  I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL HAVE TO 
         TAKE A LOOK AT.  BECAUSE THE REGIONAL SECURITY AND 
         STABILITY HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH BASED ON OUR SUCCESS IN 
         OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.  WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE 
         PEOPLE HAPPY.  BUT NOW THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM I
         THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THAT. 
         AND ALSO TO EMPHASIZE THE NECESSITY THAT WE MUST ENSURE 
         THAT THERE IS EFFECTIVE COOPERATION AMONG US, TO HELP 
         ONE ANOTHER.

                          // END ACT //

HE SAYS THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING OF SOUTHEAST ASIA'S NEIGHBORS
TO THE WEST, INDIA AND PAKISTAN, HAS CAUSED GREAT CONCERN AND CAN
ALSO BE EXPECTED TO BE DISCUSSED.

DURING THE MEETINGS, CAMBODIA WILL HOLD ELECTIONS, AN EVENT THAT 
IS EXPECTED TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE MANILA MEETING.  ONE-YEAR 
AGO, ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDED TO DELAY CAMBODIA'S 
ADMISSION TO FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE GROUP BECAUSE OF CO-PRIME 
MINISTER HUN SEN'S FORCIBLE OUSTER OF HIS RIVAL, CO-PRIME 
MINISTER PRINCE NORODOM RANARIDDH.

ASEAN, REPRESENTED BY A THREE-NATION "TROIKA" OF THAILAND, 
INDONESIA, AND THE PHILIPPINES, HAS BEEN TRYING TO MEDIATE 
BETWEEN THE RIVAL FACTIONS AND ENSURE FREE ELECTIONS.  IT IS ALSO
SENDING OBSERVERS TO WATCH JULY 26TH ELECTIONS.

MR. BADAWI SAYS IT IS NOT CLEAR IF ASEAN MINISTERS WILL TAKE 
ACTION ON CAMBODIA'S MEMBERSHIP AT THE MANILA MEETING, BUT THEY 
WILL WANT TO HEAR REPORTS ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTION AND 
DISCUSS THE MEMBERSHIP ISSUE.

                        // BADAWI ACT //

         WE WILL BE HEARING THE BRIEFING FROM THE ASEAN TROIKA.  
         AND LET US HOPE THAT BY THE TIME WE MEET WE WILL BE ABLE
         TO HEAR SOME GOOD RESULTS, SOME POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS 
         FROM THE OTHER SIDE.  I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER WE WANT TO 
         TAKE A DECISION, BUT IF THE ELECTION, THE RESULT OF THE 
         ELECTION, IS POSITIVE AND THE ELECTION ITSELF IS FREE 
         AND FAIR AND CREDIBLE ELECTION, THEN CERTAINLY THE ISSUE
         OF CAMBODIA'S TIMING FOR ADMISSION INTO ASEAN PERHAPS 
         WILL BE DISCUSSED ALSO.

                          // END ACT //

ONE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE EXPECTED TO BE RAISED IS THAILAND'S 
PROPOSAL FOR A CHANGE IN ASEAN'S POLICY OF STRICT 
"NON-INTERFERENCE" IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF FELLOW ASEAN 
STATES.

LAST MONTH, THAI FOREIGN MINISTER SURIN PITSUWAN PUIT FORTH THE 
CONCEPT OF "CONSTRUCTIVE INTERVENTION" OR "FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT" 
AMONG ASEAN COUNTRIES AS A WAY OF PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND 
DEMOCRATIC REFORMS.  MR. SURIN SAID ASEAN COUNTRIES SHOULD FEEL 
FREE TO VOICE VIEWS AND IF NECESSARY PROVIDE ADVICE TO FELLOW 
STATES.

MR. BADAWI SAYS HE DOES NOT MIND DISCUSSING THE MATTER.  BUT, 
OTHER ASEAN STATES, SUCH AS BURMA, ARE REPORTED TO BE UPSET ABOUT
MR. SURIN'S PROPOSAL, SEEING IT AS A POTENTIAL INFRINGEMENT ON 
DOMESTIC MATTERS.   (SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/FC/RAE

15-Jul-98 8:10 AM EDT (1210 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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