A.S.E.A.N. helps to change way N.Z. thinks of South-East Asia

Press, 7 April 1987, Page 24

A.S.E.A.N. helps to change way N.Z. thinks of South-East Asia

STUART McMILLAN

reports on an evolving diplomatic relationship

There seemed to be a possibility, 30 years ago, that New Zealand might eventually identify itself with South-East Asia. The thrust to do so came mainly from Church people interested in aid. The perception of New Zealand as part of South-East Asia is rarely, if ever, voiced today. Partly this is because New Zealand is seen more as belonging to the South Pacific. Another reason is that South-East Asia is seen more sharply as having developed its own identity add institutions. The Association of South-East Asian Nations, officials from which will meet New Zealand officials in Wellington today and, tomorrow, has developed into a strong institution which helps to reinforce the sense of identity of the region. The N.Z.-A.S.E.A.N. officials dialogue meeting is held every 18 months. Matters of trade co-operation, investment, various aid projects, narcotics co-operation, and energy research will be among the subjects discussed. A.S.E.A.N. was established in 1967 and grouped Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Its progress towards becoming a strong grouping was at first slow. There had been tensions and even war among some members. Indonesia had opposed the federation of Malaysia, Singapore and Malay-

sia became one and then separated, and there was a longstanding dispute between the Philippines and Malaysia over Sabah. Rapid progress occurred after the end of the Vietnam war in 1975. A summit meeting was held in Bali in 1976 and another in Kuala Lumpur the next year. The third summit will be held in Manila at the end of this year.

One of the difficulties was that many of the economies were similar, not complementary. They all had need to develop quickly and apart from Singapore, which does not have a large rural base, many of the paths to development were the same. Even now intra-A.S.E.A.N. trade amounts to only 15 per cent of the total trade.

The organisation made rapid political strides after the invasion of Kampuchea in 1979. Its members saw a threat from Vietnam and looked to unifying themselves. The co-operation was kept to economic, social, and political levels. There is no regional defence grouping, although there is bilateral defence co-operation between some members. When Brunei became independent in 1984 , it joined A.S.E.A.N. No other country seems likely to become a member soon. Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Sri Lanka have all sought closer relationships with A.S.E.A.N.

The most regular important meetings of A.S.E.A.N. are those of the Foreign Ministers, which are held each year. There are also annual meetings of the Ministers of education, information, social welfare, and labour. The Foreign Ministers’ meetings have a particular significance for a number of other countries outside A.S.E.A.N.

These are the so-called "dialogue” partners. New Zealand is one of the six. The others are Australia, the United States, Japan, Canada, and the European Economic Community. Last year’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting tended to be marked in New Zealand because it was there that Mr Shultz, the American Secretary of State, told the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr Lange, who was attending in his capacity as Foreign Minister, that “we part as friends, but we part company.” Each of the dialogue partners is allocated a co-ordinating member of A.S.E.A.N. For the last three years Brunei has been New Zealand’s co-ordinating partner. Mr Lim Jock Sing, the Bruijei

secretary of foreign affairs, who also happened to be the High Commissioner to New Zealand, resident in Brunei, had the responsibility of dealing with New Zealand.

Successive New Zealand Governments have supported A.S.E.A.N., seeing it as a sound co-operative organisation and likely to bring stability to the region. New Zealand has supported A.S.E.A.N.’s approach to the Kampuchean problem. This involved New Zealand to support the Kampuchean seat in the United Nations being given to the Pol Pot regime, whose Khmer Rouge conducted dreadful massacres while it governed. The campaign mounted by A.S.E.A.N. in the United Nations was sophisticated and successful and resulted in an increasing number of countries accepting A.S.E.A.N.’s position over Kampuchean representation. A number of governments were clearly uncomfortable with the recognition, but nevertheless considered support for A.S.E.A.N. to be important. A coalition that includes the Khmer Rouge has since been formed.

In the term of the present New Zealand Government, New Zealand has excluded Singapore and Brunei from the General System of Preferences, which enabled those countries to export to New Zealand without paying the

tariffs developed countries pay. Singapore was highly critical of New Zealand for this move, fearing that it would set a precedent for other countries also to exempt Singapore. However, that has not happened. Although New Zealand has been concentrating its aid on the South Pacific, it has maintained aid programmes in South-East Asia. Last year Mr Lange said that $l2 million would be spent over five years. The biggest Indonesian recipient is Indonesia (about $4 million in 1986-1987). The Philippines receives about $1.7 million and Thailand $1.5 million. Some of the discussion in Wellington over the next two days will be on the ways in which the $l2 million are to be spent. Efforts are made to ensure that while technology is transferred the projects will provide opportunities for the New Zealand private sector, including geothermal and forestry firms. The region contains some of the fastest growing economies in the world. A further link with an A.S.E.A.N. country will be developed when there is a direct air service between Thailand and New Zealand later this year. New Zealand’s links with Thailand have been long, partly because of the defence grouping, the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation. But those were different times and a somewhat different relationship.

N.Z. sees it as a sound grouping, bringing stability