Transcript of Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo’s interview with Singapore media at the 38th Asean Ministerial Meeting, 25 Jul 2005, Vientiane

Q (Channel NewsAsia): Minister, what are some of the expectations that you hope to see come out of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, which probably begins tonight, when you all have your informal dinner, and tomorrow?

A: Well, in the coming week, we are really involved in doing some quite important things for the future of ASEAN and the region. The entire region is going through a major change, a major transformation particularly with the emergence, or should I say the re-emergence of China and India. This is huge, it encompasses more than half of the world's population, and we are now involved in the early stages of designing and creating the architecture of this new Asia. The things that we do now will have very important consequences for the future.

We have agreed on the first EAS, East Asia Summit, to be convened in Kuala Lumpur in December this year. It will include ASEAN, Japan, China, Korea on one side; on the other side, India and below, Australia and New Zealand - ASEAN+6, with ASEAN in the middle, and in the driving seat. That is the shape of the new Asia before us, and settling the modality of that meeting is very important.

It will evolve of course, it will take time, but when the leaders meet, they will discuss issues of concern. Initially, they may meet say, once every two years. But I anticipate that they will eventually meet every year. But let's work this out. I should not predetermine what's going to be discussed among the Ministers.

On the 28th later this week, we are having New Zealand accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), and Australia will be signing a letter stating that they intend to accede to the TAC, which means that the both of them will meet the condition for being there in Kuala Lumpur for the first meeting of the East Asia Summit. So, this is quite important.

Then, in addition to this, we have to make sure we strengthen ASEAN. So we are going to discuss the launch of the ASEAN charter in Kuala Lumpur, at the end of the year. We are going to establish an Eminent Persons Group and this group will help recommend to the leaders what they envision to be the future of ASEAN, of what it is to be in 10, 15, 20 years from now. We have to strengthen the institutions so that how ever Asia changes in the future, ASEAN will be able to be a key player in that region, and be at the centre of it. That is very important.

So these are two critical areas that we will be spending a lot of time discussing, both among ourselves and with our Dialogue Partners in the coming week.

Q (CNA): Do you think the Myanmar chairmanship issue (in 2006) is expected to overshadow these important topics that you just described.

A: No, I don't think so. They have already signalled to us quite clearly that they will not be a burden to the region, to South-East Asia, and I think that is sufficient for us.

Q (TODAY): Singapore has often been described as punching above its weight in diplomatic issues. Has it been working quietly behind the scenes to help resolve the Myanmar issue?

A: No. We try to be helpful and work together with our other ASEAN neighbours. We work together with the others; we do not work alone, and we are respectful of the domestic situation in Myanmar. So we try to reconcile the divergent needs as best as we can together with the others, not by ourselves.

Q (TODAY): Myanmar Foreign Minister is expected to indicate the junta's stand at tonight's dinner will you be able to help us verify this?

A: I have no idea. You probably have better access to the rumour mill than I have.

Q (Lianhe Zaobao): What is your response to the absence of the Japanese Foreign Minister at this AMM?

A: Oh, what a disappointment, because I was looking forward to seeing him here. He just passed through Singapore and we had a good discussion on EAS, the future of the region and he was expecting to come, But obviously something very important must have intruded making it impossible for him to join ASEAN this week.

Q (LHZB) But sir, are you concerned about his absence reflecting diminishing concern over the region?

A: No. How can the Japanese have a diminished interest in the region? It is very important to them and they play a very important role here. Now I would not draw such an interpretation of his absence this week. I think the reason is because there is a big issue up in New York, on the expansion of the United Nations Security Council, and Japan is working very actively with the other G4 countries - Brazil, India and Germany - to strike a deal with the Africans, so that they can get enough support for their resolution in the coming one to two weeks.

Q (TODAY): Does Australia have a role in EAS? How do you see them?

A: Australia will be there at the first meeting, and it is important for Australia to be included, and to play an active role in the long term development of the region.

Q (Straits Times): How about the US - within the EAS - how will they look at it, the emergence of such an architecture?

A: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong discussed it with President George W Bush in Washington, and the Americans. We told the Americans that it is important for the EAS to be outward oriented, and inclusive. The Americans are comfortable with that position. But at the same time, with the development of the EAS, we must ensure that the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) remains vibrant and vital.

Q (CNA): What message will the Foreign Ministers be putting across where terrorism is concerned, taking into account the London blasts and the Egypt incident these few days ago?

A: Oh, I'm sure it will come up during discussions. It is very troubling what happened in London twice, and what has happened more recently in Sharm-el-Sheik in Egypt. It is a problem that affects us all and it is a problem for the long term

Q (LHZB): Can you just brief us on what transpired between you and the Indonesian foreign minister and the other bilateral meetings?

A: I meet Pak Hassan all the time, and since this is the first day and we are relatively free, I thought I'd touch base with him on the key issues of concern, issues which we have to address this week, then the meeting that we are having in Batam involving Indonesia and Malaysia on maritime security, and other issues of a bilateral nature, thus developing it to an even better relationship between Jakarta and Singapore.

We also talked about the peace process with GAM. Pak Hassan gave me a good briefing of what's happening and the plan now is for an agreement to be signed on August 15, just before the Indonesian National Day. This is really a breakthrough of great importance for Indonesia and for the region. We also talked about other things like the reform of the UN.

Q (TODAY): The ASEAN Charter - will one of its aims be to transform the bloc to a treaty-based organisation whose decisions are binding on members?

A: Who drafted that question for you? It sounds very legalistic, that question (laughter). We are already a treaty based organisation.

We have to integrate further to strengthen our institutions. An ASEAN Charter will have to take off from the Bali Concord II Declaration to create an ASEAN community by the year 2020. All three components - the economic community, the security community, the social community. To achieve that, we not only need projects, we need also institutions, and we got now to look at ourselves and ask, 'Look, in order to do all these things, what must we do organisationally to strengthen the institutions so then we have the facilities and mechanisms to put into practice what we state we wish to achieve?'

We are studying very carefully the organisation of Europe, particularly the early steps they took when they became a common market because, in their integration, there are lessons for us. I don't think we will ever be like Europe, their level of integration, but there are many things we can learn from their experience, both good things and not so good things. Thank you.

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