The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 10/18/1999 7:39 AM A | A | A |-Klipping the Jakarta Post
LONDON (JP): President Bill Clinton's inability to win enough Senate votes to win ratification of the American-sponsored Test Ban Treaty is one more milestone on the way to inevitable nuclear conflict. The fact that thedecision to concede defeat was taken with the knowledge, following the coupin Pakistan, that a military regime, answerable to no civilian authority, is now in direct control of one country's nuclear weapons is but one more indication that U.S. congressional opinion is dangerously out of touch withthe pace of world events. It sends a clear signal to the world at large that the U.S. is not committed to nuclear arms control, even when it works in its favor. America, we all know, is capable of reacting after a disaster, but it appears dangerously bereft of an instinctive, prescient wisdom that might preclude it.
The use of nuclear weapons remains unlikely between the United States andRussia, but today the chance of them being used in a war between Pakistan and India is even higher than it was earlier in the year when, during theirfighting over Kashmir, it seemed to some observers they were playing with nuclear matches. There also remains the possibility of the use of a nuclearweapons in the Middle East or by mafia elements who may get their hands onmaterial and knowledge from Russia's disintegrating nuclear weapons' laboratories.
Nuclear proliferation has now gone so far, and the window of opportunity that presented itself at the Cold War's end to take radical steps to wind back the nuclear clock has now all but closed, that it is difficult to argue with conviction that time is any longer on our side. What should havebeen done, as Gen. George Lee Butler, formerly commander of U.S. Strategic (Nuclear) Forces, has argued, was for the United States to have seized, from its position of strength at Cold War's end, the moral high ground and to have led a crusade, which necessarily would have had to have many unilateral, self-denying, ingredients, to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Today I find that I have enormous sympathy for those, mainly on the rightin America, who are pushing for the United States to build itself as quickly as possible a defensive shield that can stop an incoming missile from a rogue regime -- though not a massive nuclear superpower attack -- inits tracks.
The trouble, however, is not the instinctive desire for protection, it isthe ability to secure it. That quite simply is an impossible quest. A missile shield will not help against a suitcase bomb parked in Grand Central Station. And if the United States cannot stop countless small boatsand planes landing drugs on American soil, why does it think it can intercept the arrival of a nuclear bomb that could arrive just the same way?
It is, in fact, this awareness of the odds that persuaded Gen. Butler to ask if ""history will judge that the Cold war was a sort of Trojan Horse, whereby nuclear weapons were smuggled into the life of the world and made an acceptable part of the way it works?"" We have been led, he says, ""to think about the unthinkable, justify the unjustifiable and rationalize theirrational"".
Yet for every Gen. Butler who now sees the folly of the U.S. clinging to nuclear weapons, there is a Bill Clinton -- a politician in power or about to be in power -- who, while his brain says one thing does another. Nothingillustrates this more than Clinton's remark 15 months ago after Pakistan and India first tested their nuclear bombs, when he said, ""I cannot believethat we are about to start the 21st century by having the subcontinent repeat the worst mistakes of the 20th when we know it is not necessary to peace, to security, to prosperity, to national greatness or national fulfillment"".
But what has Clinton done to reverse the American psyche that deeply believes for all the reasons he publicly scorned that it is absolutely necessary to hold on to its nuclear armory, even after the end of the Cold War?
The Test Ban Treaty, once the idealistic dream of President John Kennedy,was meant as a tool for stopping the nuclear arms race in its tracks. Fortyyears on, after labyrinth negotiations, it has become, in its post Cold Wartext, not much more than a subterfuge for making it difficult for the new nuclear powers -- India and Pakistan in particular -- to develop the sophistication of their still relatively basic nuclear stockpile. Testing is absolutely necessary at this stage for miniaturization and nose-cone development, whereas the United States and the other established powers can maintain their commanding lead over everyone else by computer simulation.
The fact that the Senate Republicans have scuppered the treaty is nothingmore than reflexive hostility to the Democratic Administration. In real terms it penalizes America by giving succor to those countries which want to go their own way.
Nuclear arms control and eventual disarmament, once the center-piece of American foreign policy under presidents as diverse as Kennedy, Nixon, Carter and Reagan, have become the interest of a dwindling minority. Neither Clinton nor his Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, have ever given the impression of being remotely interested in staking out a seriousradical position and following it through with a sustained education of public opinion.
If it were not for the disintegration of the Russian nuclear armory through lack of maintenance and replenishment we would have to conclude that the disarmament situation is all but stalled. The Second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed in 1993 remains unratified by the Russian Duma, a hostage first to the Republican Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jesse Helms who took all the momentum out of it, and to the Russian communist and nationalist parliamentarians who, for their own reasons, took a cue from him.
To break this impasse is a must. A year ago senior Pentagon officials letit be known that they were prepared to advocate unilateral cuts in the American armory, at least to match the de facto cuts in Russia. Again, because of pressure from Senator Helms and his colleagues the White House has refused to give a lead on this.
In normal times one would expect the coup in Pakistan to wake up those who somehow think the nuclear status quo is liveable with. But such is the degree of partisan fervor in the United States, rational thinking comes second to dangerous schizophrenia. Nuclear weapons always were and now are more than ever the world's greatest threat. We missed nuclear war by a hair's breadth not once in the Cold War, but at least half a dozen times. Today the odds are even worst. And the American president and U.S. Senate, each in their own way oblivious to their responsibility, only think about impossible schemes for protecting America from Armageddon.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
RI ratification of the CTBT to help end nuclear arms testing
Marty M. Natalegawa, Jakarta | Wed, 12/07/2011 9:28 AM A | A | A | - Klipping the Jakarta Post
Indonesia took a significant step toward global prohibition of nuclear-test explosions on Tuesday, by ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
By doing so, Indonesia has increased the number of states that have ratified the Treaty to 156. Eight more from Annex II countries and the Treaty will come into force. Like Indonesia, these remaining eight are significant technology holders and thus their ratifications are mandatory for the Treaty to come into force — as was the case for Indonesia.
We have therefore made a strong declaration of commitment to a world without nuclear weapons. We have also made a timely contribution to the fortunes of the Treaty.
The timing of this move could not be more propitious. It came right after Indonesia, as Chair of ASEAN, successfully facilitated the conclusion of negotiations between ASEAN and Nuclear Weapon States (NWSs) to enable the NWSs to accede to the Protocol of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty.
This is no less than a double breakthrough for Indonesia and ASEAN. Aside from benefiting the entire Asian region, these two developments will create positive momentum that could push the remaining Annex II countries to start their ratification process and help promote the universalization of the Treaty.
Indeed, Indonesia’s support for the Treaty and the vision of a world free from nuclear weapons is not something new. Indonesia affixed its name to the Treaty on the very day it was opened for signature: Sept. 24, 1996.
From then on, we have given it consistent support, because we regard it as a crucial stepping stone to achieve nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
A number of principles lie behind our firm commitment to the Treaty. First, the national mandate laid down by the 1945 Constitution to help maintain peace and justice throughout the world. Second, because the Treaty is nondiscriminatory and inclusive, under its provisions, all states – whether they have nuclear arsenals or not –must play by the same rules.
And third, because it is indeed do-able: The technology is already in place to police nuclear explosions all around the world. This is made possible through an open-source International Monitoring System encompassing the entire planet, with its detectors dispersed from the poles to the tropics, whose data is owned by the 182 states that have so far signed the treaty.
Thus the Treaty represents the marriage of robust science to an inclusive and democratic international legal instrument.
We are also proud that our ratification crowned an initiative carried out in the context of our own vibrant and dynamic democracy, through which the government has partnered closely with the legislature, civil society and other stakeholders, including the media.
For only through a democratic approach, involving intensive deliberations, with the participation of all stakeholders, can a Treaty like this gain the strong sense of ownership at home.
It is true that in the past we deferred the process of its ratification. At that time, it was as a matter of principle. We reiterated that states that possessed nuclear weapons, after all, should first and foremost commit to the Treaty ahead of anyone else.
That position of principle had served its purpose. Our standing had contributed to the global effort to push for the NWSs to commit themselves to the Treaty.
Recent events show a glimmer of hope, a gleam of possibility that the cause of disarmament can move forward much more expeditiously. Thus, from today’s vantage point, we in Indonesia believe we can help brighten that possibility by ratifying the Treaty.
As I announced at the opening of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, Indonesia had decided that it was not in our interest to wait any longer. Indeed, the time to act had come.
We heard familiar arguments against ratifying the treaty, but they became too narrow to prevail. By embracing the Treaty, states lose none of their powers, on the contrary they make a solid investment in global security insurance, a multilateral undertaking to rid planet Earth of nuclear weapons.
It must also be stressed that of about 337 monitors employing four different technologies that the Treaty will rely on for verification once it is in force, more than 250 are already in place. And they are already functioning as a result of an investment of more than a billion dollars by the Treaty’s signatories.
On Indonesia’s part, we are contributing six certified seismological stations to the system, whose scientific capabilities offer a broad range of additional benefits to human security, including early warnings on tsunamis, new revelations about the behavior of the earth’s crust and enhanced monitoring of volcanic eruptions.
But the core benefit from the Treaty is, of course, the advancement of the cause of global disarmament. For as long as nations continue to invest their security in nuclear arsenals, the high risk of their use remains.
This is not a new concern for Indonesia. We have been dedicated to ridding the planet of nuclear weapons since shortly after their first use 65 years ago. Indonesia, one of the founders in 1961 of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has been serving as coordinator of the Movement’s disarmament working-group for almost two decades; as such we have been spearheading global multilateral disarmament efforts throughout the world.
Indonesia was among the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that in 1995 concluded the SEANWFZ, the most ambitious nuclear weapons free zone in terms of its zone of application.
Thus, by Indonesia ratifying the CTBT, we reiterate our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, to promoting this noble cause in the region and beyond and to ensuring that their goals are fulfilled. This is the first of many steps that we will take to work for the universalization and enforcement of the treaty.
Inevitably, the tide of history is turning in favor of nuclear disarmament. And as the international community moves closer to the enforcement of the CTBT, humankind also moves away from the perils of the age of nuclear weapons toward a future of more durable security and peace.
The writer is minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia.
Indonesia took a significant step toward global prohibition of nuclear-test explosions on Tuesday, by ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
By doing so, Indonesia has increased the number of states that have ratified the Treaty to 156. Eight more from Annex II countries and the Treaty will come into force. Like Indonesia, these remaining eight are significant technology holders and thus their ratifications are mandatory for the Treaty to come into force — as was the case for Indonesia.
We have therefore made a strong declaration of commitment to a world without nuclear weapons. We have also made a timely contribution to the fortunes of the Treaty.
The timing of this move could not be more propitious. It came right after Indonesia, as Chair of ASEAN, successfully facilitated the conclusion of negotiations between ASEAN and Nuclear Weapon States (NWSs) to enable the NWSs to accede to the Protocol of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty.
This is no less than a double breakthrough for Indonesia and ASEAN. Aside from benefiting the entire Asian region, these two developments will create positive momentum that could push the remaining Annex II countries to start their ratification process and help promote the universalization of the Treaty.
Indeed, Indonesia’s support for the Treaty and the vision of a world free from nuclear weapons is not something new. Indonesia affixed its name to the Treaty on the very day it was opened for signature: Sept. 24, 1996.
From then on, we have given it consistent support, because we regard it as a crucial stepping stone to achieve nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
A number of principles lie behind our firm commitment to the Treaty. First, the national mandate laid down by the 1945 Constitution to help maintain peace and justice throughout the world. Second, because the Treaty is nondiscriminatory and inclusive, under its provisions, all states – whether they have nuclear arsenals or not –must play by the same rules.
And third, because it is indeed do-able: The technology is already in place to police nuclear explosions all around the world. This is made possible through an open-source International Monitoring System encompassing the entire planet, with its detectors dispersed from the poles to the tropics, whose data is owned by the 182 states that have so far signed the treaty.
Thus the Treaty represents the marriage of robust science to an inclusive and democratic international legal instrument.
We are also proud that our ratification crowned an initiative carried out in the context of our own vibrant and dynamic democracy, through which the government has partnered closely with the legislature, civil society and other stakeholders, including the media.
For only through a democratic approach, involving intensive deliberations, with the participation of all stakeholders, can a Treaty like this gain the strong sense of ownership at home.
It is true that in the past we deferred the process of its ratification. At that time, it was as a matter of principle. We reiterated that states that possessed nuclear weapons, after all, should first and foremost commit to the Treaty ahead of anyone else.
That position of principle had served its purpose. Our standing had contributed to the global effort to push for the NWSs to commit themselves to the Treaty.
Recent events show a glimmer of hope, a gleam of possibility that the cause of disarmament can move forward much more expeditiously. Thus, from today’s vantage point, we in Indonesia believe we can help brighten that possibility by ratifying the Treaty.
As I announced at the opening of the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, Indonesia had decided that it was not in our interest to wait any longer. Indeed, the time to act had come.
We heard familiar arguments against ratifying the treaty, but they became too narrow to prevail. By embracing the Treaty, states lose none of their powers, on the contrary they make a solid investment in global security insurance, a multilateral undertaking to rid planet Earth of nuclear weapons.
It must also be stressed that of about 337 monitors employing four different technologies that the Treaty will rely on for verification once it is in force, more than 250 are already in place. And they are already functioning as a result of an investment of more than a billion dollars by the Treaty’s signatories.
On Indonesia’s part, we are contributing six certified seismological stations to the system, whose scientific capabilities offer a broad range of additional benefits to human security, including early warnings on tsunamis, new revelations about the behavior of the earth’s crust and enhanced monitoring of volcanic eruptions.
But the core benefit from the Treaty is, of course, the advancement of the cause of global disarmament. For as long as nations continue to invest their security in nuclear arsenals, the high risk of their use remains.
This is not a new concern for Indonesia. We have been dedicated to ridding the planet of nuclear weapons since shortly after their first use 65 years ago. Indonesia, one of the founders in 1961 of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has been serving as coordinator of the Movement’s disarmament working-group for almost two decades; as such we have been spearheading global multilateral disarmament efforts throughout the world.
Indonesia was among the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that in 1995 concluded the SEANWFZ, the most ambitious nuclear weapons free zone in terms of its zone of application.
Thus, by Indonesia ratifying the CTBT, we reiterate our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, to promoting this noble cause in the region and beyond and to ensuring that their goals are fulfilled. This is the first of many steps that we will take to work for the universalization and enforcement of the treaty.
Inevitably, the tide of history is turning in favor of nuclear disarmament. And as the international community moves closer to the enforcement of the CTBT, humankind also moves away from the perils of the age of nuclear weapons toward a future of more durable security and peace.
The writer is minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia.
Marty wants progress on S. China Sea disputes at ASEAN meetings
Antara, Jakarta | Mon, 07/18/2011 9:09 PM A | A | A | - Klipping the Jakarta Post
Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa says he hopes two upcoming high-level ASEAN meetings will help resolve competing territorial claims to parts of the South China Sea.
Indonesia will host the 44th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum on July 16-23.
China and ASEAN member nations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia have an ongoing dispute on several parts of the South China Sea, including the oil-and-gas rich Spratly and Paracel Islands.
“In a meeting with Brunei Darussalam Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah this morning we agreed to discuss further the guidance of implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) that was agreed to by the concerned parties 10 years ago,” Marty said Monday as quoted by Antara.
“I hope during this Bali meeting the guidance for the DoC can be materialized,” Marty said after a joint cooperation commission meeting between Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam on Monday morning.
Marty said concerned countries had to implement the DoC as soon as possible to prevent potential South China Sea conflicts.
A Filipino plan to bring its dispute before the United Nations would not be a problem, Marty said.
“There are some mechanisms for all countries to settle their international problems whether through bilateral or multilateral settlements. I think there is nothing wrong with that as long as they complement each other,” he said.
It was most important for ASEAN countries to create a conducive situation for resolving the South China Sea conflict, he said.
Separately ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said the conflict had raised international concerns since the South China Sea straddled global trade routes.
Surin urged all the parties to agree to DoC guidance. “I’m sure we can settle this issue. Let’s prove to the world that ASEAN and China can settle their conflicts peacefully.”
Related News >>
Thai-Cambodia conflict may haunt ASEAN meeting
ASEAN meet to discuss Myanmar, N. Korean
RI: No discussion of Papua at ASEAN Summit
ASEAN meeting attempts to calm South China Sea row
Follow our twitter @jakpost
& our public blog @blogIMO
| | | | | | | | Comments (1)
US-China show down | Tue, 19/07/2011 - 09:07am
The best article
The other thing not to forget is that both Vietnam and the Philippines want the US involved in the negotiations largely because the US is really the only country that can counter China's massive economic power and also counter China's position of power via their position as permanent member the UN security council with veto rights.
It must not be forgotten that America also has a significant diaspora of Vietnamese Americans and Filipino Americans that will be pressing the US government to maintain their involvement to ensure that Vietnam and the Philippines get their fair share.
The Americans are not stupid, they didn't open their country up to everyone from around the world for no reason. Sure the average American has paid a price for this, been pushed aside and passed over. But the benefit has been that America can take anybody from around the world and make them their own, make them American. In this I think America has succeeded.
Don't be surprised if the Vietnamese and Filipino interests in the South China sea are strongly supported by some very smart Vietnamese American and Filipino American representatives from the US.
What does America get in return for their support? Firstly and most importantly they will strengthen their already strong relationship with the Philippines and they will help repair the damaged relationship with Vietnam. Secondly the US multinationals will be given the role of helping Vietnam and the Philippines develop their national oil companies who will develop the significant oil and gas resources of the region.
All the countries of the region will need to be involved but, ultimately the South China Sea will be a show down between Chinese political and economic might & US political and economic might. I don't think the military aspect needs to come into it and I don't think it will come into it. I think both the US and the Chinese are sensible enough to ensure this doesn't happen.
Report Abuse
Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa says he hopes two upcoming high-level ASEAN meetings will help resolve competing territorial claims to parts of the South China Sea.
Indonesia will host the 44th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum on July 16-23.
China and ASEAN member nations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia have an ongoing dispute on several parts of the South China Sea, including the oil-and-gas rich Spratly and Paracel Islands.
“In a meeting with Brunei Darussalam Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah this morning we agreed to discuss further the guidance of implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) that was agreed to by the concerned parties 10 years ago,” Marty said Monday as quoted by Antara.
“I hope during this Bali meeting the guidance for the DoC can be materialized,” Marty said after a joint cooperation commission meeting between Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam on Monday morning.
Marty said concerned countries had to implement the DoC as soon as possible to prevent potential South China Sea conflicts.
A Filipino plan to bring its dispute before the United Nations would not be a problem, Marty said.
“There are some mechanisms for all countries to settle their international problems whether through bilateral or multilateral settlements. I think there is nothing wrong with that as long as they complement each other,” he said.
It was most important for ASEAN countries to create a conducive situation for resolving the South China Sea conflict, he said.
Separately ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said the conflict had raised international concerns since the South China Sea straddled global trade routes.
Surin urged all the parties to agree to DoC guidance. “I’m sure we can settle this issue. Let’s prove to the world that ASEAN and China can settle their conflicts peacefully.”
Related News >>
Thai-Cambodia conflict may haunt ASEAN meeting
ASEAN meet to discuss Myanmar, N. Korean
RI: No discussion of Papua at ASEAN Summit
ASEAN meeting attempts to calm South China Sea row
Follow our twitter @jakpost
& our public blog @blogIMO
| | | | | | | | Comments (1)
US-China show down | Tue, 19/07/2011 - 09:07am
The best article
The other thing not to forget is that both Vietnam and the Philippines want the US involved in the negotiations largely because the US is really the only country that can counter China's massive economic power and also counter China's position of power via their position as permanent member the UN security council with veto rights.
It must not be forgotten that America also has a significant diaspora of Vietnamese Americans and Filipino Americans that will be pressing the US government to maintain their involvement to ensure that Vietnam and the Philippines get their fair share.
The Americans are not stupid, they didn't open their country up to everyone from around the world for no reason. Sure the average American has paid a price for this, been pushed aside and passed over. But the benefit has been that America can take anybody from around the world and make them their own, make them American. In this I think America has succeeded.
Don't be surprised if the Vietnamese and Filipino interests in the South China sea are strongly supported by some very smart Vietnamese American and Filipino American representatives from the US.
What does America get in return for their support? Firstly and most importantly they will strengthen their already strong relationship with the Philippines and they will help repair the damaged relationship with Vietnam. Secondly the US multinationals will be given the role of helping Vietnam and the Philippines develop their national oil companies who will develop the significant oil and gas resources of the region.
All the countries of the region will need to be involved but, ultimately the South China Sea will be a show down between Chinese political and economic might & US political and economic might. I don't think the military aspect needs to come into it and I don't think it will come into it. I think both the US and the Chinese are sensible enough to ensure this doesn't happen.
Report Abuse
Military bases pose a threat to peace in the South China Sea
Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali | Sat, 07/23/2011 10:09 AM A | A | A | - Klipping the Jakarta Post
ASEAN may have completed the guidelines for the declaration of conduct in the South China Sea, but problems are likely to remain with the presence of military bases that belong to claimants.
ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said Thursday that four ASEAN member states, would have to resolve issues of military bases in the South China Sea.
“That is what the claimants will have to discuss between themselves,” he told reporters in a limited interview on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN meetings here. “They are committed to avoiding open conflicts. They have committed themselves to resorting to peaceful means, to negotiations and discussions. They will certainly show that they are complying with the guidelines.”
China and four ASEAN countries — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam — as well as Taiwan have laid overlapping claims in the Paracels and the Spratlys in the South China Sea, with China claiming the largest part.
Satellite imagery, passed to The Daily Telegraph, shows that a substantial harbor has been built, which could house a score of nuclear ballistic missile submarines and a host of aircraft carriers, the British newspaper reported.
In what will be a significant challenge to US Navy dominance and to countries ringing the South China Sea, one photograph shows China’s latest 094 nuclear submarine at the base, just a few hundred miles from its neighbors.
Other images show numerous warships moored to long jettys and a network of underground tunnels at the Sanya base on the southern tip of Hainan Island.
According to University of Indonesia security expert Andi Widjajanto, the Philippines’ armada has moved further west since last month, while Vietnam’s armada — the largest among the ASEAN claimants in the disputed waters — is moving closer to China, leading to clashes between the two ASEAN countries and China, which has far more power in the area as well as oil and gas exploration vessels accompanied by Chinese military ships.
The guidelines, approved by the bloc on Wednesday, regulate joint projects by ASEAN members and China in the fields of marine environment, SARS, transnational crimes, the safety of navigation and biodiversity.
The guidelines, however, which Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario says are not satisfactory, do not specifically regulate joint exploration of oil and gas.
It is estimated that oil and natural gas reserves in the Spratly region amount to 17.7 billion tons, making it the world’s fourth-largest reserve bed.
China traded barbs with Vietnam and the Philippines after several incidents that occurred last month, which the Southeast Asian nations said was Chinese “harassment”.
Beijing denied the allegation, saying it would only use violence when attacked, while warning its Asian neighbors to stop searching for oil near the disputed Spratly Islands and vowed to assert its sovereignty, the Associated Press reported.
Surin said one of the purposes of maintaing such guidelines was to stop any incidents of harassment.
“Whether or not it will lead to that, we will have to hold on to the commitment that the parties have made — that there will be no violence, that there will be no open conflict and that this will not affect security in the region,” he said.
“And that is part of the claimants’ will to enter into direct discussions on the conflict issue, piece by piece, one by one, area by area.”
Andi said he saw no end to disputes in the South China Sea between the ASEAN claimants and China if the regional grouping left the issue of the presence of military bases in the disputed waters up to both of them.
“There is no hope [to see this problem end] because both sides [the ASEAN claimants and China] have different approaches,” he told The Jakarta Post.
“They can’t even agree on the format of negotiations, with the Philippines and Vietnam, for example, eager to internationalize the South China Sea issues and China wanting to keep them bilaterally, let alone starting the negotiations.”
The presence of military bases in the South China Sea pose problems and should be resolved
Satellite imagery shows that a substantial harbor has been built to house a score of nuclear ballistic missile submarines and a host of aircraft carriers
ASEAN may have completed the guidelines for the declaration of conduct in the South China Sea, but problems are likely to remain with the presence of military bases that belong to claimants.
ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said Thursday that four ASEAN member states, would have to resolve issues of military bases in the South China Sea.
“That is what the claimants will have to discuss between themselves,” he told reporters in a limited interview on the sidelines of a series of ASEAN meetings here. “They are committed to avoiding open conflicts. They have committed themselves to resorting to peaceful means, to negotiations and discussions. They will certainly show that they are complying with the guidelines.”
China and four ASEAN countries — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam — as well as Taiwan have laid overlapping claims in the Paracels and the Spratlys in the South China Sea, with China claiming the largest part.
Satellite imagery, passed to The Daily Telegraph, shows that a substantial harbor has been built, which could house a score of nuclear ballistic missile submarines and a host of aircraft carriers, the British newspaper reported.
In what will be a significant challenge to US Navy dominance and to countries ringing the South China Sea, one photograph shows China’s latest 094 nuclear submarine at the base, just a few hundred miles from its neighbors.
Other images show numerous warships moored to long jettys and a network of underground tunnels at the Sanya base on the southern tip of Hainan Island.
According to University of Indonesia security expert Andi Widjajanto, the Philippines’ armada has moved further west since last month, while Vietnam’s armada — the largest among the ASEAN claimants in the disputed waters — is moving closer to China, leading to clashes between the two ASEAN countries and China, which has far more power in the area as well as oil and gas exploration vessels accompanied by Chinese military ships.
The guidelines, approved by the bloc on Wednesday, regulate joint projects by ASEAN members and China in the fields of marine environment, SARS, transnational crimes, the safety of navigation and biodiversity.
The guidelines, however, which Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario says are not satisfactory, do not specifically regulate joint exploration of oil and gas.
It is estimated that oil and natural gas reserves in the Spratly region amount to 17.7 billion tons, making it the world’s fourth-largest reserve bed.
China traded barbs with Vietnam and the Philippines after several incidents that occurred last month, which the Southeast Asian nations said was Chinese “harassment”.
Beijing denied the allegation, saying it would only use violence when attacked, while warning its Asian neighbors to stop searching for oil near the disputed Spratly Islands and vowed to assert its sovereignty, the Associated Press reported.
Surin said one of the purposes of maintaing such guidelines was to stop any incidents of harassment.
“Whether or not it will lead to that, we will have to hold on to the commitment that the parties have made — that there will be no violence, that there will be no open conflict and that this will not affect security in the region,” he said.
“And that is part of the claimants’ will to enter into direct discussions on the conflict issue, piece by piece, one by one, area by area.”
Andi said he saw no end to disputes in the South China Sea between the ASEAN claimants and China if the regional grouping left the issue of the presence of military bases in the disputed waters up to both of them.
“There is no hope [to see this problem end] because both sides [the ASEAN claimants and China] have different approaches,” he told The Jakarta Post.
“They can’t even agree on the format of negotiations, with the Philippines and Vietnam, for example, eager to internationalize the South China Sea issues and China wanting to keep them bilaterally, let alone starting the negotiations.”
The presence of military bases in the South China Sea pose problems and should be resolved
Satellite imagery shows that a substantial harbor has been built to house a score of nuclear ballistic missile submarines and a host of aircraft carriers
Military buildup in S. China Sea amid tension
Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 12/06/2011 11:02 AM A | A | A | - Klipping The Jakarta Post
Several countries with overlapping claims in the South China Sea are reportedly building up their military powers in the territory — a move that may endanger regional security and stability.
According to Indonesian Center of Democracy, Diplomacy and Defense executive director Teuku Rezasyah, Malaysia has two battleships, the Philippines one, China 27 and Taiwan 26 operating in the South China Sea.
He said Vietnam had several escort vessels operating in the area, while no data was available for
Brunei’s operations there.
“China’s 27 naval vessels do not even include the aircraft carrier and submarines [it operates in the South China Sea],” he told The Jakarta Post recently.
He said a Type 093 Shang class nuclear-powered attack submarine was observed at the pier under construction.
Significant construction is still underway at the Yalong Bay Naval Base on Hainan Island, including a fourth submarine pier at the southern section of the base, increased camouflage over the submarine pen and a bunkered rail line on the eastern side of the basin peninsula, he said.
“China has successfully massively reclaimed shores on Nam Yit Island and Southwest Cay Island, which borders the Philippines. China has made those hubs for its aircraft carriers based on satellite imagery,”
Rezasyah said.
He said that China was likely preparing for a worst-case scenario, with Nam Yit Island able to support three aircraft carriers.
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan all have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, which is estimated to have oil and natural gas reserves amounting to 17.7 billion tons, making it the world’s fourth-largest reserve bed.
The Paracels are claimed by China and Vietnam; Scarborough Shoals and Reed Bank are claimed by China and the Philippines; Tungsha is claimed by China and Taiwan; the Spratlys are claimed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.
According to Reza, Malaysia has built military bases on Layang-layang, a resort island that has a 1,356-meter-long airplane runway and is only 300 kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia’s Sabah.
Northeast Cay Island, which is claimed by the Philippines, is integrated with the United States 7th Fleet. Although it is hard to physically verify it, “planes that are used in that area are the same planes used by the US 7th Fleet”, he said.
Taiwan is building up its military forces in Tai Ping Dao Island (Itu Aba Island), which is also claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam, he said.
“What I’m afraid of is if China seizes Tai Ping Dao Island, which is claimed by Taiwan, because there will be no one who can do anything to help, not even ASEAN, thanks to the one China policy,” Rezasyah said.
The territorial disputes in the South China Sea have brought the US into the field that is anticipating the risk of Chinese aggression possibly through its plan to deploy 2,500 US marines in Australia’s Darwin, which is only 820 kilometers away from Indonesia.
Already, the US has 29,086 military personnel at its bases in South Korea and 35,688 military personnel at its bases in Japan, according to various sources.
The US also allegedly asked for Indonesia’s help to counter China by asking Indonesia to use its newly granted F-16 fighter jets to help the US deal with China “if anything bad happens in the South China Sea”, a source told the Post.
Several countries with overlapping claims in the South China Sea are reportedly building up their military powers in the territory — a move that may endanger regional security and stability.
According to Indonesian Center of Democracy, Diplomacy and Defense executive director Teuku Rezasyah, Malaysia has two battleships, the Philippines one, China 27 and Taiwan 26 operating in the South China Sea.
He said Vietnam had several escort vessels operating in the area, while no data was available for
Brunei’s operations there.
“China’s 27 naval vessels do not even include the aircraft carrier and submarines [it operates in the South China Sea],” he told The Jakarta Post recently.
He said a Type 093 Shang class nuclear-powered attack submarine was observed at the pier under construction.
Significant construction is still underway at the Yalong Bay Naval Base on Hainan Island, including a fourth submarine pier at the southern section of the base, increased camouflage over the submarine pen and a bunkered rail line on the eastern side of the basin peninsula, he said.
“China has successfully massively reclaimed shores on Nam Yit Island and Southwest Cay Island, which borders the Philippines. China has made those hubs for its aircraft carriers based on satellite imagery,”
Rezasyah said.
He said that China was likely preparing for a worst-case scenario, with Nam Yit Island able to support three aircraft carriers.
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan all have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, which is estimated to have oil and natural gas reserves amounting to 17.7 billion tons, making it the world’s fourth-largest reserve bed.
The Paracels are claimed by China and Vietnam; Scarborough Shoals and Reed Bank are claimed by China and the Philippines; Tungsha is claimed by China and Taiwan; the Spratlys are claimed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.
According to Reza, Malaysia has built military bases on Layang-layang, a resort island that has a 1,356-meter-long airplane runway and is only 300 kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia’s Sabah.
Northeast Cay Island, which is claimed by the Philippines, is integrated with the United States 7th Fleet. Although it is hard to physically verify it, “planes that are used in that area are the same planes used by the US 7th Fleet”, he said.
Taiwan is building up its military forces in Tai Ping Dao Island (Itu Aba Island), which is also claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam, he said.
“What I’m afraid of is if China seizes Tai Ping Dao Island, which is claimed by Taiwan, because there will be no one who can do anything to help, not even ASEAN, thanks to the one China policy,” Rezasyah said.
The territorial disputes in the South China Sea have brought the US into the field that is anticipating the risk of Chinese aggression possibly through its plan to deploy 2,500 US marines in Australia’s Darwin, which is only 820 kilometers away from Indonesia.
Already, the US has 29,086 military personnel at its bases in South Korea and 35,688 military personnel at its bases in Japan, according to various sources.
The US also allegedly asked for Indonesia’s help to counter China by asking Indonesia to use its newly granted F-16 fighter jets to help the US deal with China “if anything bad happens in the South China Sea”, a source told the Post.
SBY praises Arab Spring, Myanmar reform
Novia D. Rulistia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 12/09/2011 8:52 AM A | A | A | - Klipping the Jakarta Post
All for democracy: Heads of state/government from around the world attend the fourth Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday. The forum focuses on efforts to boost public participation in democratic decision-making processes. JP/Agung ParameswaraPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the fourth Bali Democracy Forum on Thursday by announcing that the winds of democracy were sweeping through many parts of the world.
Yudhoyono gave particular praise for the rapid progress seen in North Africa including in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt and in the Middle East, where several states are transforming into fully fledged democracies.
He also said the ongoing situation in Myanmar was encouraging after the junta had shown greater flexibility toward democratic elements in the impoverished country.
“Perhaps the most significant development has been seen in North Africa and the Middle East — what is now known as the Arab Spring — which has produced rapid political changes that none of us expected,” the President said at the two-day meeting.
Citing Indonesia’s own experience after the forced resignation of Soeharto to end his dictatorship in 1998, Yudhoyono warned that transformation processes could be very painful.
According to Yudhoyono, every democratic nation, especially those in the process of transition, should remain vigilant as conflicts could emerge at any time.
“We remain vigilant as Indonesia is not totally free from the prospects of new communal conflicts flaring up.
“And this is a problem that is also faced by other nations that are undergoing democratic transition,” Yudhoyono said.
Meanwhile, the forum’s co-chairwoman and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the current BDF theme was most appropriate at a time when an increasing portion of the world’s population were demanding democracy as their preferred form of government.
“It is also important to keep thinking of better ways to keep the already democratic governments truly representative of their people’s wishes,” she said.
This year, the BDF is attended by eight state leaders, including Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Qatari PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani. Other delegations from the Middle East, including from Bahrain, attracted special attention from other participants.
Qatar’s prime minister said his country had been siding with the Arab people’s demands for reform since the very beginning, when the first signs of the Arab revolutions had shown a positive inclination toward democratization.
“Qatar could not stand aloof watching these people being brutally repressed, therefore Qatar took the initiative and provided political and moral support to the people of Tunisia and Egypt,” he said.
In addition, Qatar was also the first Arab country and second country in the world to recognize the transitional council in Libya as being the legitimate representative of the Libyan people, he said.
“We are here to express our deep sorrow for the suffering experienced by the Yemeni people in the cause of achieving their hopes and aspirations,” Sheikh Hamad said.
He also condemned the repression and killing of Syrians who had committed no crimes other than demanding reform.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the steady increase in the number of participating countries was a sign that the forum had been widely acknowledged in the region thanks to its non-judgmental characteristics.
“The forum has grown increasingly substantive in promoting dialogue and cooperation on political development and the promotion of democracy in the region,” he said.
In line with this year’s theme, “Enhancing Democratic Participation in a Changing World: Responding to Democratic Voices”, the forum would identify and further elaborate on two things: the ability of states to positively respond to the voice of democracy, and the way to ensure democratic space for broad participation in public policy decision-making processes, Marty said.
The first and second BDFs recognized the importance of building a robust democratic community and the indivisible relationship between democracy and economic development. And in the third forum, all states were encouraged to ensure the attainment of democratic dividends through the establishment of peace, stability and equitable prosperity. “Broader people participation is essential to respond to current global challenges, where waves of democratization have swept many parts of the world,” he said.
All for democracy: Heads of state/government from around the world attend the fourth Bali Democracy Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday. The forum focuses on efforts to boost public participation in democratic decision-making processes. JP/Agung ParameswaraPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the fourth Bali Democracy Forum on Thursday by announcing that the winds of democracy were sweeping through many parts of the world.
Yudhoyono gave particular praise for the rapid progress seen in North Africa including in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt and in the Middle East, where several states are transforming into fully fledged democracies.
He also said the ongoing situation in Myanmar was encouraging after the junta had shown greater flexibility toward democratic elements in the impoverished country.
“Perhaps the most significant development has been seen in North Africa and the Middle East — what is now known as the Arab Spring — which has produced rapid political changes that none of us expected,” the President said at the two-day meeting.
Citing Indonesia’s own experience after the forced resignation of Soeharto to end his dictatorship in 1998, Yudhoyono warned that transformation processes could be very painful.
According to Yudhoyono, every democratic nation, especially those in the process of transition, should remain vigilant as conflicts could emerge at any time.
“We remain vigilant as Indonesia is not totally free from the prospects of new communal conflicts flaring up.
“And this is a problem that is also faced by other nations that are undergoing democratic transition,” Yudhoyono said.
Meanwhile, the forum’s co-chairwoman and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the current BDF theme was most appropriate at a time when an increasing portion of the world’s population were demanding democracy as their preferred form of government.
“It is also important to keep thinking of better ways to keep the already democratic governments truly representative of their people’s wishes,” she said.
This year, the BDF is attended by eight state leaders, including Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Qatari PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani. Other delegations from the Middle East, including from Bahrain, attracted special attention from other participants.
Qatar’s prime minister said his country had been siding with the Arab people’s demands for reform since the very beginning, when the first signs of the Arab revolutions had shown a positive inclination toward democratization.
“Qatar could not stand aloof watching these people being brutally repressed, therefore Qatar took the initiative and provided political and moral support to the people of Tunisia and Egypt,” he said.
In addition, Qatar was also the first Arab country and second country in the world to recognize the transitional council in Libya as being the legitimate representative of the Libyan people, he said.
“We are here to express our deep sorrow for the suffering experienced by the Yemeni people in the cause of achieving their hopes and aspirations,” Sheikh Hamad said.
He also condemned the repression and killing of Syrians who had committed no crimes other than demanding reform.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the steady increase in the number of participating countries was a sign that the forum had been widely acknowledged in the region thanks to its non-judgmental characteristics.
“The forum has grown increasingly substantive in promoting dialogue and cooperation on political development and the promotion of democracy in the region,” he said.
In line with this year’s theme, “Enhancing Democratic Participation in a Changing World: Responding to Democratic Voices”, the forum would identify and further elaborate on two things: the ability of states to positively respond to the voice of democracy, and the way to ensure democratic space for broad participation in public policy decision-making processes, Marty said.
The first and second BDFs recognized the importance of building a robust democratic community and the indivisible relationship between democracy and economic development. And in the third forum, all states were encouraged to ensure the attainment of democratic dividends through the establishment of peace, stability and equitable prosperity. “Broader people participation is essential to respond to current global challenges, where waves of democratization have swept many parts of the world,” he said.
Kadin sees opportunity in ASEAN-Korea free trade deal
Linda Yulisman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 12/09/2011 8:47 AM A | A | A | - Klipping the Jakarta Post
Full implementation of the free trade agreement with South Korea next year would pose no serious problem to local products, as no head-to-head competition was expected, a trade organization has said.
The head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (Kadin) standing committee on investment, human resource development and small and medium enterprises, Utama Kajo, said on Thursday that because most goods imported from South Korea would not compete directly with local goods, the trade treaty would not harm local industries.
“We import a lot of high-technology goods from Korea and our products will not compete head-to-head with theirs,” he told The Jakarta Post.
Kajo said that, unlike Chinese goods, Korean products were relatively more expensive compared to locally manufactured products, including food and beverages marketed to middle- and upper-class segments of society.
“We have the opportunity to increase our exports to Korea, but it now depends on our local producers to benefit from the free trade scheme,” he explained.
The ASEAN-China free trade agreement, which came into force in January 2010, was much criticized as it caused an influx of cheap Chinese goods into the local market. The free trade agreement hurt many small- and medium-scale companies as they could not be able to compete against such cheap products.
ASEAN and Korea signed a free trade in goods agreement in August 2006, which came into force in June 2007. The free trade treaty will be fully implemented next year.
Currently, more than 81 percent of traded goods, or 90 percent of total items in the normal track, including electric and electronic components, textiles and apparel and plastic products, are duty free; this arrangement will be expanded to 90 percent of traded goods by 2012.
Trade Ministry data shows that Indonesia’s trade with Korea has grown significantly since the implementation of the agreement. In 2007, Indonesia’s exports to Korea, which totaled US$7.58 billion, jumped to $12.57 billion in 2010, while imports rose from $3.19 billion in 2007 to $7.70 billion in 2010. As of September this year, exports stood at $11.88 billion, while imports totaled $9.31 billion.
Indonesian Textile Association (API) chairman Ade Sudrajat said the extension of a duty-free facility for traded goods would not hurt local industries, as Indonesian and Korean goods were much more complementary. Most Korean textile and garment products were also more expensive than local products and were aimed at higher echelons.
“We have the opportunity to further increase our textile exports to Korea, as we have seen over the past two years,” he said, referring to a 50 percent growth of textile exports to the country, adding that exports might double in the future due to an expansion in tariff removals.
Full implementation of the free trade agreement with South Korea next year would pose no serious problem to local products, as no head-to-head competition was expected, a trade organization has said.
The head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (Kadin) standing committee on investment, human resource development and small and medium enterprises, Utama Kajo, said on Thursday that because most goods imported from South Korea would not compete directly with local goods, the trade treaty would not harm local industries.
“We import a lot of high-technology goods from Korea and our products will not compete head-to-head with theirs,” he told The Jakarta Post.
Kajo said that, unlike Chinese goods, Korean products were relatively more expensive compared to locally manufactured products, including food and beverages marketed to middle- and upper-class segments of society.
“We have the opportunity to increase our exports to Korea, but it now depends on our local producers to benefit from the free trade scheme,” he explained.
The ASEAN-China free trade agreement, which came into force in January 2010, was much criticized as it caused an influx of cheap Chinese goods into the local market. The free trade agreement hurt many small- and medium-scale companies as they could not be able to compete against such cheap products.
ASEAN and Korea signed a free trade in goods agreement in August 2006, which came into force in June 2007. The free trade treaty will be fully implemented next year.
Currently, more than 81 percent of traded goods, or 90 percent of total items in the normal track, including electric and electronic components, textiles and apparel and plastic products, are duty free; this arrangement will be expanded to 90 percent of traded goods by 2012.
Trade Ministry data shows that Indonesia’s trade with Korea has grown significantly since the implementation of the agreement. In 2007, Indonesia’s exports to Korea, which totaled US$7.58 billion, jumped to $12.57 billion in 2010, while imports rose from $3.19 billion in 2007 to $7.70 billion in 2010. As of September this year, exports stood at $11.88 billion, while imports totaled $9.31 billion.
Indonesian Textile Association (API) chairman Ade Sudrajat said the extension of a duty-free facility for traded goods would not hurt local industries, as Indonesian and Korean goods were much more complementary. Most Korean textile and garment products were also more expensive than local products and were aimed at higher echelons.
“We have the opportunity to further increase our textile exports to Korea, as we have seen over the past two years,” he said, referring to a 50 percent growth of textile exports to the country, adding that exports might double in the future due to an expansion in tariff removals.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)