Transcript of Reply to Questions in Parliament by Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Balaji Sadasivan, 27 Aug 2007

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS:

Ms Indranee Rajah: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide an update on the outcome of the recent ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) including (a) whether there are any specific initiatives or projects to be undertaken by ASEAN or Singapore arising out of the ARF; (b) the current direction of ASEAN-US relations and (c) the objectives of the proposed first ASEAN-US Summit to be held in Singapore.

REPLY:

(a) Mr Speaker Sir, on behalf of the Minister. ARF Ministers had a good meeting in Manila. There was a frank exchange of views on key regional and international issues, in particular progress in the Six-Party Talks. We issued two ARF statements, on the Promotion of Inter-civilisation Dialogue; and on Supporting National Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540 which deals with the issue of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We also adopted a set of ARF Guidelines for Disaster Relief Cooperation. In addition, we agreed on the Terms of Reference of a new advisory body to be called Friends of the Chair. This body will comprise the incoming and previous ARF Chairs and a non-ASEAN ARF country, to be convened in times of emergency to assist the ARF Chair in decision making. More importantly, the Ministers also agreed on the need to move forward on more concrete cooperation projects. They approved a list of ARF activities to be carried out in the next 12 months. Singapore and the EU will be co-chairing an ARF Seminar on Energy Security in the first half of 2008; and we will partner New Zealand to hold the 2nd ARF Peacekeeping Experts' Meeting in March 2008. In addition, Singapore also proposed that the ARF undertake a comprehensive review to make it a more effective body. We will work with our ARF partners to prepare a report for consideration at the next ARF.

(b)&(c) The US is and remains a key partner of ASEAN. Without the stabilising influence of the US in our region, ASEAN members would not have achieved the sustained growth that we have enjoyed over the past few decades. But we must also acknowledge the reality that the US is a global power with global responsibilities and Southeast Asia will not always be among its top priorities. At present, developments in the Middle East, particularly the very difficult situation in Iraq, demands most attention in Washington DC and understandably so. Of course, it was disappointing that the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice could not make it for the ARF in Manila this year; and that the ASEAN-US Commemorative Summit originally scheduled for September 2007 had to be postponed, both because of pressing developments in the Middle East. But we should take this in our stride. The relationship is strong enough to take these hiccups and we should not forget that if the situation in the Middle East were to get out of hand, Southeast Asia will not escape unscathed.

Still, despite its global preoccupations, the US has been doing what it can to enhance its engagement of ASEAN. In 2002, it started the Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative which seeks to advance mutual interests in areas such as trade promotion, as well as an ASEAN Cooperation Plan which focuses on developmental cooperation. In 2005, President Bush and ASEAN Leaders launched the ASEAN-US Enhanced Partnership. This was followed by a Plan of Action to implement this partnership as well as an ASEAN-US Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA). As this year marks the 30th year of ASEAN-US relations, the US is looking to appoint a US Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs, initiate a Fulbright Programme for ASEAN scholars, and conclude a landmark Science & Technology Agreement that will promote research and development collaboration between research communities in ASEAN and the US. Clearly, within the unavoidable constraints imposed by its many other responsibilities, the US is committed to ASEAN. On our part, ASEAN will do what we can to continue to foster closer engagement with the US.

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