Asean Community, sea row top talks

Asean Community, sea row top talks

ANALYSIS: Tensions over the China maritime dispute weigh down the ambitious Asean summit agenda

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his wife join Asean dignitaries for an obligatory photo-op in front of the Asean Summit signboard on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Government House)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his wife join Asean dignitaries for an obligatory photo-op in front of the Asean Summit signboard on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Government House)

The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have crafted a key agenda on preparations for establishing the Asean Community by late this year, but might find that the South China Sea dispute overshadows their efforts.

This year's first summit under Malaysian chairmanship starts today in Kuala Lumpur with several critical issues before the leaders, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Among the most pressing is preparations for forming the Asean community by the end of this year.

Malaysia, as the Asean chairman, wanted to focus on the road to the community, rather than on the South China Sea conflict even though the country is one of the maritime claimant states along with the Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam.

An expansion of Asean trade, strengthening the bloc's internal mechanisms and a common time zone in Asean capitals were among key issues that it wanted to push.

However, a diplomatic source from the meeting said the sea dispute was still overshadowing the talks since it affects regional security and stability.

The process of setting up the community was likely to be relatively smoother. 

According to the source, Asean members are in agreement in wanting an early conclusion on the Code of Conduct (COC) with China governing the South China Sea but more talks are needed to ease the tensions.

"Some members want to see the situation resolved through a diplomatic approach. However, they said the talks could not progress if China is set on pressing ahead with its island reclamation efforts," the source said, adding members will not stray from the "Asean way" of non-interference in other nations' affairs.

During the Asean foreign ministers meeting yesterday, Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn said the Thai government believed the Asean Community should be people-centred for achieving better development.

Gen Tanasak said Asean is moving in the right direction in terms of building unity which is a major factor in the single community's establishment.

Speaking about the South China Sea row, Gen Tanasak said developments on this issue were "very good", without elaborating.

Thailand is playing a role as coordinator on Asean-China relations.

"Next month, the joint working group [handling the COC] will meet, followed by senior officials. Then, in August, we will submit the results to the Post Ministerial Conference plus one [China]. Everything is going very well," Gen Tanasak insisted.

However, the Philippines' Foreign Minister Albert Del Rosario yesterday repeated his country's concerns over China's massive island reclamation projects in the northern part of the sea and called on Asean to stop China in its tracks.

He said the negotiations and the COC will be affected by China's actions.

Cambodia is among member nations that have played down the sea dispute. Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong yesterday focused on security issues, saying Asean should strengthen its own frameworks, especially the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) and the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM), which is joined by the world's superpowers, including the United States, China, and Russia.

Hor Namhong said those superpowers have their own strategies for engaging with Asean, especially on security issues.

Asean should not allow the superpowers to have so much influence in the region, he said.

Despite the sea row overshadowing the summit, current Asean chairman Malaysia insisted all Asean members stressed the importance of "constructive engagement" and want to accomplish the integration of the Asean community by the end of 2015.

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