A skilled public speaker, Surin Pitsuwan, secretary general for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), impressed many when he stressed the role the 10-nation group will play in multilateral engagement in partnership with Asia Pacific powers including China, Japan, and Korea at conference in Hong Kong in late April.
Giving his keynote speech at the media conference called “Reporting New Realities in Asia and the Pacific,” sponsored by the East-West Center of Honolulu, Hawaii, and The University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Surin said, “In order to help East Asia grow, Asean is providing leadership, because we are a threat to none, and a friend to all.”
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Aung Zaw is founder and editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at [email protected].
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Surin's message did not impress everyone, however, with one delegate quipping, “Is it because Asean has no principle that it has no enemies?” Some senior journalists who have covered the region for years yawned and questioned the relevancy of Asean and its controversial policy of non-interference.
Countering criticisms that Asean's reluctance to get involved in thorny issues in the region such as Burma and the border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia, Surin noted that Asean's charter, like the UN’s, contains a non-interference principle.
“I know that there has been a lot of expectation on ASEAN, but it can only deliver so much,” he said. “At least it has been maintaining relative peace and growth for the region.”
“If Asean succeeds in its vision and mission, at least the world will have one less region to worry about,” Surin said. “I think that is the contribution of Asean—the region can take care of itself.”
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| US Assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, (right) and Aung Zaw of The Irrawaddy |
Surin maintained optimism on Asean and its influence, warning that Asean will play a major role in the geopolitical rivalry between China and US as it “sits between the giants, China and India, and 85 percent of Asia's energy comes either from or through Southeast Asia.”
Surin said Asean's experience with superpower rivalries in the region has given it the means to handle them.
He also acknowledged the renewed US interest in engaging in the Asia and Pacific Region indicated by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s first overseas trip to Asia in 2009 and President Obama’s meeting with Asean leaders in Singapore in November that year.
Surin welcomed the US involvement but warned, “The US must also realize that the terrain has changed.”
When I asked him to comment on the Burmese regime's appalling human rights violations, its imprisonment of more than 2,000 political opponents, its systematic abuses against ethnic minorities and women and the upcoming election, the audience seemed surprised that Surin was evasive and vague, giving no direct answers.
Regarding Burma's election, he said, “I personally think that everyone should contest in the election,” without saying anything about the election law.
One participant said, “It is quite embarrassing… Is he [Surin] afraid of losing job?”
“I think he has too many bosses [in Asean] and he cannot speak his mind,” said another.
One guest impressed by Surin's speech asked whether I had raised the Burma issue to make a statement.
Speaking to me in person, however, Surin said, “Burma is difficult.”
Surin belongs to Thailand's oldest political party, the Democrat Party, and he formerly served as Thailand's foreign minister. A relative newcomer at that time, he was quite outspoken on Asean’s non-interference and constructive engagement policy, even proposing controversial flexible engagement. The regime in Burma did not like him then, but this is likely no longer the case.
In his keynote dinner speech, meanwhile, Kurt Campbell, the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs said America needs to know more about the Asia Pacific region, noting that in-depth and investigative reporting on Asia in the American press has diminished dramatically over the last 20 years.
He mentioned President Obama’s upcoming trip to Indonesia in June this year, Vietnam’s desire to build a stronger relationship with America, the health of the Mekong River and severe drought.
“Probably no country in Southeast Asia has been more interested in developing a closer relationship with the US than Vietnam,” Campbell noted, “They've made clear they want a stronger relationship with the US.”
Sticking with longtime partners, fostering a few new friendships and taking a long-term view on relations with China is the US approach to the Asia Pacific region, he said, stressing that “job one” is “ensuring that our allied relationships are strong and stable.”
Aside from old friends, America is “trying to develop stronger relationships with some emerging states in the Asia-Pacific region,” Campbell said, singling out Indonesia, Vietnam and India.
On China, he said, “If you look at the history of relations we've had with major powers, nothing comes close to capturing the complexity of the China relationship.”
America's relationship with China is “extraordinarily diverse, across a range of issues—climate change to commercial to currency to issues associated with Iran and North Korea,” he said.
During the Cold War the US relationship with the Soviet Union "was monochromatic—black and white—very easy to understand," he said.
He also talked about “high-level strategic dialogue” with Burma.
Campbell, who visited Burma last November and meets with Suu Kyi on his second trip to Burma on Monday, said the best way to send consequential messages on issues like human rights, the election and non-proliferation is through high-level dialogue.
“It has been tough sledding but we are not only committed to work with partners in the Asia Pacific region and in Southeast Asia but also the government in Naypyidaw,” he said.
He also repeatedly said the election law in Burma is disappointing and regrettable and the US will continue to speak out on issues associated with Burma, continuing to maintain a very strong line until the government takes meaningful steps.
Asked about engagement with Burma, his answer was more straightforward and in line with current US policy. The message is clear: the US will maintain sanctions but wants to keep talking with all stakeholders in Burma.
During his last visit in November, Kurt Campbell said he was heartened to see detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying she thought the US is handling Burma affairs in the right way.
