(AMM) ASEAN

Transcription

1 Table of Contents I. Background The Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) The South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) The Association of South East Asia (ASA)... 1 II. Introduction... 2 III. Organizational Structure of ASEAN ASEAN Summit ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Joint Ministerial Meeting (JMM) ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) Senior Economic Officials Meetings (SEOM) Other ASEAN Ministerial Meeting ASEAN Secretariat... 3 IV. Important features and policies of ASEAN... 5 i. Political and Security Cooperation... 5 Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN)... 5 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)... 5 Declaration of ASEAN Concord... 6 ii. Economic:... 6 iii. Social... 7 iv. Culture and Information... 8 V. Strengths and Weaknesses of ASEAN... 8 VI. Conclusion... 9 Bibliography... 10

2 ASEAN I. Background The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is not a new regional corporation in Southeast Asia. The corporation in economic, social, cultural, academic or even security matters has been promoted since after World War II but, in most cases, Southeast Asian countries did not take the initiative. 1 In other words, the western powers in particular, were always involved as members. As a result, none could really be classified as types of principal examples of regional cooperation or genuine interregional groupings. Some examples of this cooperation were: 1. The Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) The purpose of this organization is to facilitate and promote economic cooperation between the countries in Asia and the Far East to be equal to other developed regions. ECAFE s members consisted of Afghanistan, Australia, Burma, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, China, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the U.S.S.R, the United Kingdom and North Ireland, the United States and West Samoa. In addition, Hong Kong and Brunei were associate members. 2 This organization is not death, but changed its name to the Economic and Social Committee for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), which is now a Committee of the Economic and Social Council. 2. The South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) This organization was created on September 8, 1954 in Manila, the Philippines. Its members were Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Great Britain, and the United States. The purpose of the organization was for regional security against the expansion of the communist influences in this region. Though SEATO was terminated in 1977, this organization still considered to be in force by its members. 3. The Association of South East Asia (ASA) ASA was established on July 31, 1961 by the Bangkok Declaration. The original members were the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand. This marked the first organization, experiencing no member from the outside regions. Put in different words, this cooperation could be classified as a truly regional organization, since there is no member state from other regions. The main purposes of this organization were the promotion of economic, social and 1 Vinita Sukrasep, ASEAN in International Relations, (Printed by Aksornsiam Press, Bangkok, Thailand, 1989) 11 2 Sukrasep, 12 1

3 cultural progress in the region. However, ASA did not last for long. Only one later, the dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia occurred over the Sabah territory. Because of this dispute, diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Malaysia were suspended and ASA s activities were also malfunction. Despite its demise, ASA contributed most of its main aims and purposes to the Association of Southeast Asian Nation today. Last but not least, beside this historical background, the purpose of this research is also going to find out the ASEAN date of creation, ASEAN s members, the aims and purposes of this organization, its organizational structure and the main features and policies of this organization. II. Introduction The Association of Southeast Asian Nations better known as ASEAN was created in August 8, 1967 by the five founding states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei officially joined this regional organization on January 8, 1984, and Vietnam on July 28, On July 23, 1997, Laos and Myanmar also became members of ASEAN, and Cambodia on April 30, The aims and purposes of the regional organization according to the Bangkok declaration are to: (1) accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development within the region, (2) promote regional peace and stability among member states in accordance with principles and purposes of the United Nations, and (3) strengthen common interests in economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields. III. Organizational Structure of ASEAN 1. ASEAN Summit It is a meeting that is attended by the head of government of all ASEAN members. It is officially done once every three years based on the decision of the 1992 ASEAN summit in Singapore. It can be done at any other time if it deems necessary. The BangkFok fifth ASEAN summit agreed to have an informal meeting once every year. The first informal meeting was on November 30, 1996 in Jakarta, Indonesia. 2. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) It is a meeting that is attended by the Foreign Ministers of all ASEAN states. This foreign ministerial meeting was created in 1967 by the Bangkok Declaration, which is responsible for compromising the ASEAN future activities. The feedback, getting from this meeting shall report to the head of the government of each member state. 3. ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) 2

4 This meeting is done once a year. During this meeting, the Ministers of Economic from ASEAN countries discuss about the political and economic cooperation. 4. Joint Ministerial Meeting (JMM) It is a joint meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Ministers of economic to talk about the work of ASEAN activities relevant to the foreign affairs and economic. This meeting was created during the 1987 ASEAN summit in Manila. 5. ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) ASC is an important committee. It helps compromising from one to another meeting of ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. The chief of this committee is the Minister of Foreign Affair of a member state who is responsible for ASC. The meeting ASC happens once every three months or four times a year. 6. Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) This meeting was created by the 1987 ASEAN Summit in Manila. It is responsible for ASEAN political cooperation. SOM happens when it deems necessary and report the information to AMM. 7. Senior Economic Officials Meetings (SEOM) This is the meeting of the senior economic officials of ASEAN states. It is a place where the senior economic officials discuss about the cooperation of the ASEAN economy. It must be done once a year and report to the ASEAN Economic Ministers. 8. Other ASEAN Ministerial Meeting It is the meeting among the ministers of ASEAN on many sectors such as Health, Environment, Social Affairs, Education, Science, Technology, Information and Justice. This is taken place when it is considered as crucial. 9. ASEAN Secretariat The ASEAN Secretariat was established by the agreement issued by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers during the first ASEAN Summit in 1976 in Bali. Led by the Secretary General of ASEAN, the tasks of the ASEAN Secretariat are to initiate compromising and to fulfill ASEAN activities. The headquarter of the 3

5 ASEAN Secretariat is placed in Jakarta, Indonesia. page) (See structure on the next 4

6 ASEAN Summit AEM AMM JMM Others SEOM ASC SOM ASEAN Secretariats IV. Important features and policies of ASEAN The association is in charge with strengthening the benefit of ASEAN and extends the cooperation of ASEAN security and political, economic, social, and culture. i. Political and Security Cooperation The ASEAN political and Security cooperation was started quickly after the creation of ASEAN. Some of the main important cooperation, approved by the association were: Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) The purpose of this cooperation is to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, abstention from thereat or use of force, peaceful settlement of international disputes, equal rights and selfdetermination and non-interference in affairs of States, which is worthy in accordance with the UN charter. Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) The purpose of this Treaty is to promote perpetual peace, everlasting amity and cooperation among their people, which would contribute to their strength, solidarity and closer relationship

7 Declaration of ASEAN Concord The principle of this cooperation is to cooperate of ASEAN in political, security and economic fields. ii. Economic: 1. Cooperation on basic needs and necessities essential in life especially cooperation on food and energy - All member states must help each other in primary supply to support the need of any nation that is in trouble and give priority in exportation the important goods of the member states, especially food and energy - All member states must increase cooperation on important goods especially food and energy in each member states in the region 2. Cooperation on industries - Member states must cooperate to establish big industrial factories in order to meet the need of the important basic needs and necessities essential in life - Priority is given to any projects that use material availably in the member state and help establishing food and income or increase momentary save and increase employment rate. 3. Cooperation on trade -Member states must cooperate on trade to push development and increase products and new trade in order to progress each nation trade structure and in all ASEAN countries leading to develop, protect, and increase foreign monetary income and deposit budget - Member states must step forward to make trade agreement that is long principal based on basic in any particular construction that must be agreed by member states - Extension trade between states through cooperation on necessities essential in life, particularly food and energy and through cooperation on ASEAN industrial plans - Member states must develop effort to progress the exportation of raw material and output to the ASEAN market by seeking the elimination the prevention of trade in the market using new method of products and accept resolution and joined activities in order to connect companies in the Association region, other regions, and other economic super power countries 6

8 - These efforts lead to cooperate on technology and produce technique to increase and make progress of exporting product quality and increase new products for exportation in order to have plentiful export 4. Joined resolution on international basic needs and world economic problems - The principle of ASEAN cooperation on trade issue is shown from first priority as basic in joined resolution on the basic needs and world economic problem such as reform international trade system, reform the international monetary system, and resources transform in according with the UN and in bilateral related forum in order to make contribution in creating new method of international economic system - Member states must promote peace and security and increase income that come from necessities essential in life that is produced and exported to other member countries through agreement on the necessities essential in life including reserve goods plans and other methods 5- Mechanisms of Economic Cooperation - The economic minister meeting must be conducted regularly or when necessary: - Prepare statements for member states to consider in order to strengthen ASEAN economic cooperation - Recheck the compromise and apply programmes and plan on cooperation of ASEAN economic that has already been agreed. - Exchange the view and discuss about policy and nation plans for development regarded as step forward the same idea in regional development - Do related works that are agreed by member states. iii. Social - Cooperation on development society is mainly focused on group health who have low income and to people in remote areas through providing strategy and technique on agriculture for higher products - Advocate strongly in all factors and in all classes of ASEAN association especially woman and youth in the effort of development - Strengthen and enforce existing cooperation to solve the population increase in ASEAN region; Prepare new strategies cooperated with the appropriate international organizations - Enforce cooperation between member states as well as international organization to prevent and eliminate drug smuggling and illegal drug uses. 7

9 iv. Culture and Information - Insert education about ASEAN, AESAN member nations and their language as one of subjects in school and state department of member states - Support the scholars, authors, artists, and media system of ASEAN in order to urge them to play an important role and to understand about regional identity and amity - Increase Southeast Asia research through making cooperation closely to the national institute of each member state. V. Strengths and Weaknesses of ASEAN Since ASEAN was established, it has successfully lowered some of the tariff and trade barriers that existed between its members, but because member states demand for national sovereignty, its effectiveness has lessened. This was well-demonstrated in 1992 when the leaders of ASEAN agreed to form a free trade area known as AFTA, the ASEAN Free Trade Area, but because of concerns over national sovereignty and domestic politics, decided not to implement it for 15 years. 4 The 10 years after ASEAN s formation were known as the Trial Period. During this period, the association had successfully solved two disputes happening in its area. First, the dispute between Malaysia and the Philippines over the Sabah issue. Malaysia accused the Philippines government of threatening its security by supporting a group of Muslims in order to send them to operate in Sabah territory. However, the Philippines claimed that its territory included Sabah, therefore, Sabah would be under the Philippines sovereignty. Due to this dispute, the relationship between these two countries became deteriorated. However, with the intervention from other ASEAN members, especially Thailand and Indonesia, finding solution by using diplomatic means, the relationship between the two became normalized. Second was the dispute between Singapore and Indonesia. On October 17, 1968 the Singapore government executed two Indonesian marine officers charged with sabotage and murder during the period of confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia, Singapore was then in the Federation. 5 After the incident, Indonesia dissatisfaction with Singapore was so strong that the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta was attacked and limited its trade with Singapore. Consequently, the relations of the two were restored. From the two incidents, it can be said that cooperation and the will to maintain political cooperation in the framework of ASEAN largely contributed to the efforts of the members to find channels of 4 Daniel S. Papp, Contemporary International Relations, ( Allyn and Bacon A Viacom Company, Needham Heights, MA 02194, Fifth Edition, 1997) 86 5 Sukrasep, 63 8

10 compromise and further cooperation. 6 As Malaysia s Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Ismial stated, the constant contact and communication between our officials has helped to develop a habit of cooperation and a sense of solidarity which will in turn help us when we move forwards wider areas of cooperation. 7 There have also some mistakes within the organization. First of all, in 1997 ASEAN allowed Burma to become a member with the purpose of economic opportunity, since ASEAN leaders are interested in a very rich natural resources of Burma. However, what they expected was, in turn, harmful to them. Burma s generals not only amend the laws to make difficult in doing business, but also give privilege to their citizens and cronies. 8 As a result, many foreign investors either from the USA or the European Union or indeed from ASEAN countries cannot run their business smoothly and profitably. Enlargement of its membership is also a problem for ASEAN. ASEAN is not one group; its members have many differences regarding to size, historical background, and level of industrialization and development. 9 For example, Vietnam s GDP was considered to be the highest among new members with about $15,570 million, whereas the Philippines, the lowest GDP among the ASEAN-5 was $64,162 million. Thus, though enlargement of this regional organization will create trade and economic activities, new members will face difficulties to gain benefit from this enlargement. VI. Conclusion Last but not least, the Association of Southeast Asian Nation can be regarded as a truly regional cooperation in Southeast Asia history. In other words, there is no state from another region allowed to be member of this regional organization. ASEAN is a multi-functional organization. It deals with economic, politics, culture and social issue. Moreover, it had contributed to peace and security among its member through negotiation, not violence such as the case of Sabah and the execution of the two Indonesian marine officers by Singapore. It also helps strengthen the economic development through the reduction of trade barriers within member states by creating the so-called AFTA. 6 Sukrasep, 63 7 Sukrasep,

11 Bibliography Books: 1. Sukrasep, Vinita, ASEAN in International Relation, (Printed by Aksornsiam Press, Bangkok, Thailand, 1989) 2. Papp, Daniel S., Contemporary International Relation, (Allyn and Bacon A Viacom Company, Needham Heights, MA 02194, Fifth Edition, 1997) 3. The Association of Southeast Asia Nation, (Printed Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Cambodia, 1998) 4. Summary of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, (Printed Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Cambodia, 1998) Internets: