Time to face Myanmar issue squarely
Hostage taker: Put simply, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein had held the other nine leaders hostage at the Asean summit in Singapore. Picture: EPA
Saturday, November 24, 2007
ASEAN made big strides in its 40th year with its leaders signing its constitution and made agreements on an economic blueprint to liberalise trade in the region and climate change to curb greenhouse emissions.
But the whole meeting could well be remembered for the Myanmar issue continuing to be the focus even as the old Asean rule prevailed a member country cannot interfere with the affairs of another member country.
Put simply, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein had held the other nine leader hostage.
Despite heated arguments behind closed doors, Asean leaders put up a brave facade to show unity and cohesion by declaring its support for Myanmar's road to national reconciliation.
However, critics pointed out that Asean blew its chance to act on Myanmar for its human rights violation as the Asean Charter adopted on Tuesday did not specifically touch on action against a non-compliant member.
Asean host Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said sanctions are not the way to go to solve the situation in Myanmar.
The question is why can't Asean take a tougher stance on Myanmar? Is it because some member countries have their own economic interests in the military-ruled country?
For example, Thailand is Myanmar's biggest trading partner in Asean, Singapore has invested S$700 million (US$484 million) while Malaysia, through Petronas, has investments in oil and gas.
Myanmar has long been isolated by the western countries but the truth is China and India, two major competitors of the Asean group, have long courted Myanmar for its rich natural resources.
Myanmar can choose to walk away from Asean anytime it wants.
The junta has the two rising economic powerhouses behind it. Myanmar has nothing to lose by leaving Asean if it chooses to.
With leaders having signed the charter, the next step is for each country to ratify it.
The charter cannot be put in effect if it fails to get even a member government's ratification. Malaysia only needs the Cabinet's nod.
The Philippines has already given warning it may not ratify it if Yangon refuses to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
On a brighter note, it was a coup for Asean to be able to get China and India to sign the Singapore Declaration on Climate Change, Energy and the Environment during the East Asia Summit attended by the 10 Asean countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan. China and India had long resisted calls to join the efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The significance of the declaration is that it paves the way for the UN climate change meeting in Bali next month, when countries are set to begin tough negotiations for a new pact on limiting greenhouses gases when the present Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Another major accomplishment is the establishment of an Asean Economic Community by 2015 that aims to create a region with free movement of goods, services, skilled labour and freer flow of capital.
The agreement which has been brought forward by five years include:
dismantling non-tariff trade barriers by 2015, having made significant progress in the removal of tariffs under its Asean Free Trade Area;
establishing an Asean Single Window to allow businesses to submit one set of documents and data for one single decision-making for customs clearance; and
restrictions on trade in services will be removed by 2010 in four priority areas: air transport, electronic commerce, healthcare and tourism. Restrictions on services in logistics will be removed by 2013 and all other sectors fully opened up by 2015.
The Asean leaders have also agreed to meet every six months once the charter comes into effect. The idea is for more substantive matters to be discussed at different summits. However, Myanmar and UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari are sure to hog the limelight in the next few months. The Star/ANN
But the whole meeting could well be remembered for the Myanmar issue continuing to be the focus even as the old Asean rule prevailed a member country cannot interfere with the affairs of another member country.
Put simply, Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein had held the other nine leader hostage.
Despite heated arguments behind closed doors, Asean leaders put up a brave facade to show unity and cohesion by declaring its support for Myanmar's road to national reconciliation.
However, critics pointed out that Asean blew its chance to act on Myanmar for its human rights violation as the Asean Charter adopted on Tuesday did not specifically touch on action against a non-compliant member.
Asean host Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said sanctions are not the way to go to solve the situation in Myanmar.
The question is why can't Asean take a tougher stance on Myanmar? Is it because some member countries have their own economic interests in the military-ruled country?
For example, Thailand is Myanmar's biggest trading partner in Asean, Singapore has invested S$700 million (US$484 million) while Malaysia, through Petronas, has investments in oil and gas.
Myanmar has long been isolated by the western countries but the truth is China and India, two major competitors of the Asean group, have long courted Myanmar for its rich natural resources.
Myanmar can choose to walk away from Asean anytime it wants.
The junta has the two rising economic powerhouses behind it. Myanmar has nothing to lose by leaving Asean if it chooses to.
With leaders having signed the charter, the next step is for each country to ratify it.
The charter cannot be put in effect if it fails to get even a member government's ratification. Malaysia only needs the Cabinet's nod.
The Philippines has already given warning it may not ratify it if Yangon refuses to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
On a brighter note, it was a coup for Asean to be able to get China and India to sign the Singapore Declaration on Climate Change, Energy and the Environment during the East Asia Summit attended by the 10 Asean countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan. China and India had long resisted calls to join the efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The significance of the declaration is that it paves the way for the UN climate change meeting in Bali next month, when countries are set to begin tough negotiations for a new pact on limiting greenhouses gases when the present Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Another major accomplishment is the establishment of an Asean Economic Community by 2015 that aims to create a region with free movement of goods, services, skilled labour and freer flow of capital.
The agreement which has been brought forward by five years include:
dismantling non-tariff trade barriers by 2015, having made significant progress in the removal of tariffs under its Asean Free Trade Area;
establishing an Asean Single Window to allow businesses to submit one set of documents and data for one single decision-making for customs clearance; and
restrictions on trade in services will be removed by 2010 in four priority areas: air transport, electronic commerce, healthcare and tourism. Restrictions on services in logistics will be removed by 2013 and all other sectors fully opened up by 2015.
The Asean leaders have also agreed to meet every six months once the charter comes into effect. The idea is for more substantive matters to be discussed at different summits. However, Myanmar and UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari are sure to hog the limelight in the next few months. The Star/ANN
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