ASEAN - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

ASEAN - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

News: Follow ASEAN path on Myanmar, says Indonesian FM, after New Delhi engages military rulers

 

What's in the news?

●       India and other countries should “respect” and follow ASEAN’s policy on Myanmar rather than adopting a “different” path, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

 

Key takeaways:

●       In comments to The Hindu about India’s decision to engage the Myanmar military government that came to power in February 2021 after deposing the elected National Unity Government (NUG) and jailing thousands of leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi, Ms. Marsudi said that it could make the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) efforts towards democracy “less effective”.

●       Instead, she urged India and other countries to follow the ASEAN “five-point consensus”.

 

ASEAN "Five Point Consensus":

  1. Calls for an immediate end to violence in the country.
  2. Dialogue among all parties.
  3. The appointment of a special envoy.
  4. Humanitarian assistance by ASEAN and
  5. The special envoy’s visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties.

 

Go back to basics:

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):

●       It is a political and economic organization aimed primarily at promoting economic growth and regional stability among its members.

●       It was founded in 1967 by the five South-East Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

●       Brunei Darussalam joined in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999, making up ten Member States of ASEAN.

 

Current members:

●       Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

ASEAN Plus Three:

●       It is a forum that functions as a coordinator of co-operation between the ASEAN and the three East Asian nations of China, South Korea, and Japan.

 

ASEAN Plus Six:

●       The group includes ASEAN Plus Three as well as India, Australia, and New Zealand.

 

ASEAN Summit:

●       It is the highest policy-making body in ASEAN comprising the Head of States or Government of ASEAN Member States.

●       Summit is held twice annually.

●       The First ASEAN Summit was held in Bali, Indonesia in 1976.

 

About East Asia Summit:

●       Established in 2005, it is a forum of 18 regional leaders for strategic dialogue and cooperation on the key political, security, and economic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region.

●       The concept of an East Asia Grouping was first promoted in 1991 by the then Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad.

●       There are six priority areas of regional cooperation within the framework of the EAS such as

○       Environment and Energy

○       Education

○       Finance

○       Global Health Issues and Pandemic Diseases

○       Natural Disaster Management

○       ASEAN Connectivity.

 

Membership:

●       It comprises the ten member states of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) which are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with 8 other countries namely Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the USA.

It is an ASEAN-centered forum so it can only be chaired by an ASEAN member