Asian ministers to tackle security issues at Bangkok summit

July 22, 2000
Web posted at: 3:42 PM HKT (0742 GMT)

BANGKOK, Thailland 22 (Reuters) -- Southeast Asian foreign ministers meeting in Bangkok next week will tackle security issues ranging from Indonesia's bloody ethnic conflicts to Indochina's cross-border trafficking in drugs and people.

The region's wrenching economic crisis of the past few years has exacerbated the problems, a senior Thai official said on Saturday.

"The (foreign) ministers will devote a lot of their time to discuss the security implications of globalisation," said Nitya Pibulsonggram, the Thai Foreign Ministry's permanent secretary and chair of the preparatory sessions.

The two-day meeting of ASEAN ministers begins on Monday.

The Association of South East Asian Nations groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ASEAN ministers are expected to call for a peaceful resolution of the religious slaughter in Indonesia's spice islands, where thousands are said to have died.

Bangkok's Nation newspaper said senior officials preparing the meeting would urge foreign ministers to consider a statement supporting Indonesian territorial integrity and a peaceful end to the other conflicts convulsing the country.

Nitya said ASEAN foreign ministers would also tackle regional crime, health and environment issues.

Plumes of smoke from forest fires on Indonesia's island of Sumatra have wreathed parts of Malaysia and Thailand in smog over the last few days, prompting fears of a re-run of the widespread health problems and disruption to tourism caused in 1997.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Sulaiman Adbul Manan said his country would support ASEAN talks on the smog problem.

Jakarta has admitted it has no strategy to douse the fires.

Earlier this week, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said the meeting's priorities also included how to address small arms smuggling.

Despite the region's array of problems, Thailand's plan for a so-called "troika" model to speed the bloc's often sluggish response to crises could run into trouble.

The model is inspired by the European Union's practice of having the current EU president head a three-way, decision-making group to lead the way on ad hoc issues.

However, Southeast Asians nations have traditionally stuck to a policy of non-interference in each others' affairs and changing this attitude promises to be a thorny process.

"This mechanism should be implemented only when all parties agree on a situation that needs (it) to be implemented," Nitya said.

Human rights group Amnesty International said rights violations were at the root of regional conflict and instability.

"ASEAN leaders and dialogue partners should include human rights protection in any discussion on conflict prevention and resolution," it said in a statement.

"If ASEAN is to seriously address regional security, it must take up the challenge of promoting and protecting the full spectrum of human rights -- economic, social, civil and political," it urged.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more ASIANOW news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian media sites

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.