Asean defends hands-off policy on aceh

The group’s dogged policy of not meddling in the internal affairs of its members could come under serious strain when ASEAN leaders meet at a summit in Manila this weekend for annual talks on political, security and economic issues.

“ASEAN’s relevance does not hinge on a specific problem that at this point is still a matter internal to Indonesia,” Severino told a news conference.

“What happens in Aceh would be of greatest interest to Indonesia’s neighbours but as of now, I don’t think any ASEAN country considers it the right time to intrude into what is essentially an internal matter,” sEverino added.

Severino said non-interference in the domestic affairs of one country was a principle of international relations worldwide and not only within ASEAN.

However, he added: “if something happens within a country that has a serious impact on others then statements or actions by other countries cannot be considered as interference.”

In a situation like Aceh, it is up to Indonesia and its partners in ASEAN to judge if the situation there poses an immediate threat to Indonesia’s neighbours, he said.

Severino conceded that ASEAN “has an image problem” in the face of accusations by outsiders that it had become irrelevant because of its supposed inability to deal effectively with the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

“Yes, there is concern about the impression, the image, but not about the reality,” he said.

He said the feeling within ASEAN was that the group was now even more relevant because member states were working together to hasten their economic integration in the wake of the crisis.

One of the topics to come up at the summit would be an informal common stand to be taken by ASEAN members at the World Trade Organisation talks in Seattle, Severino said.

“ASEAN would like to see not only agriculture and services as subjects for discussion but also tariffs on manufactured goods,” he said.

Other subjects common to members include a review of the commitments under previous trade agreements, prevention of dumping, and specialised treatment for less developed economies, he said.