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Terrorism, rights on agenda for ASEAN ministers

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-20 11:36

PHUKET, Thailand: Southeast Asian foreign ministers began talks in Thailand on Monday, with counter-terrorism expected to be high on the agenda after last week's suicide bombings in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

The ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) were also due to formally agree terms for the creation of a commission on human rights, which has already been met with scepticism by analysts and rights groups.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said late on Sunday there was a "maximum consensus" in ASEAN about the commission, which would take into account the "special circumstances" of the 10 member countries, including Myanmar.

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Some 10,000 troops have enforced a no-protest zone around the venue in the resort of Phuket to prevent an embarrassing repeat of the last regional gathering in Thailand, when anti-government demonstrators breached security to scuttle the East Asia Summit, forcing half the leaders to be evacuated by helicopter.

The meeting comes ahead of Asia's biggest annual security gathering, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which takes place on Thursday and where concerns over the DPRK's recent military moves are likely to take centre stage.

Those talks will include US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well foreign ministers from North Asia and officials from the European Union and Russia.

ASEAN foreign ministers have already condemned the bombings at two luxury hotels in Jakarta on Friday that killed nine people and wounded 53, including several foreign businessmen.

Indonesian police said on Sunday the attacks used the same methods and equipment as previous bombings by the militant Jemaah Islamiah group, which wants to establish an Islamic state in parts of Southeast Asia.

WASHINGTON RENEWS FOCUS

Thai officials have said they expect the United States to join the ASEAN Treaty on Amity and Cooperation this week, a move that would signal Washington's renewed engagement with Southeast Asia, a region home to 570 million people and with combined economic output of $1.1 trillion.

Some analysts have suggested Washington, which routinely sent lower level officials to ASEAN meetings under former President George W. Bush, wants more involvement in the region.

The treaty is one of the key documents that underpins ASEAN. Other countries, including China, have acceded to the treaty.

Scot Marciel, deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said last week Clinton wanted to emphasis Washington's interest in ASEAN. He said it was possible Washington could accede to the treaty this week.

"It's in our interest for the countries of Southeast Asia to further integrate to grow stronger," Marciel said.