---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Sydney Morning Herald 24/07/99 ASEAN Bickering over finger-pointing splits club that's lost a lot of clout By CRAIG SKEHAN Herald Correspondent in Singapore Still reeling from a drastic loss of prestige in the Asian economic crisis, ASEAN, the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations, has been wracked again by debate on whether to dump its rules barring criticism of each other's affairs. Foreign ministers who began ASEAN's annual meeting in Singapore yesterday split between reformers arguing for more openness so that economic and environmental problems could be tackled early, and traditionalists stressing that unity had been the grouping's main strength in the past. Leading the push for reform yesterday was Thailand's Foreign Minister, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, who suggested the regional grouping risked becoming irrelevant. "Concerns and doubts have been raised about the standing of ASEAN as a regional organisation and its ability to play a leading role in the international arena," Dr Surin said. "The effects of globalisation and the region's economic and financial crisis have not only caused outsiders to doubt our efficacy, but also forced us to rethink our role." Dr Surin said ASEAN could be proud of achievements since it was formed 32 years ago, but without a new approach it would be left behind as the world changed around it. "Are we tigers ascendant, an integral part of a new Pacific century, or are we last year's wounded cubs, transposed and forgotten?" he asked. He called for ASEAN to re-invent itself and for regional economic integration. He complained about a lack of political commitment to trade liberalisation. The opposing case was spearheaded by Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Mr Syed Hamid Albar, who said the regional economic crisis had resulted in bilateral strains between member states. However, ASEAN had been sustained in the past by co-operation aimed at ensuring peace and stability which helped nation building. "Among the most fundamental are the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of one another, mutual respect and equality," Mr Albar said. Some foreigners had subjected ASEAN members to "selective criticism and vilification" because their economies had been weakened. "It has also led to calls for ASEAN to discard its modus operandi. "Let us pause and carefully think through the options available to us. We should not accept those which are alien to our national psyche and hurtful to our national objectives." The Foreign Minister of Burma, Mr U Win Aung, also pressed the non-intervention principle. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 23 Jul 1999 jam 20:04:44 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
