The Hindu : Thais 'vague' about ACD process

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 18, 2002

International

International

Thais 'vague' about ACD process

By Amit Baruah

CHA-AM (Thailand) June 17. It's the season for dialogue. Eighteen Ministers, a majority of them handling the Foreign portfolio, will begin a two-day meeting from tomorrow — to lay the foundation for what the Thais have called the Asia Co-operation Dialogue (ACD). A fortnight ago, Defence Ministers from East and South-East Asia, the U.S. and Britain were in Singapore for an `Asia Security Conference' organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). India was a notable invitee to the conference. ``This is a historic event for Asia, that all of Asia agrees to form a group to come for talks on finding joint trade, investment, tourism and cultural strategies, all for the goal of strengthening Asia and helping it cope with trade discrimination by other groups,'' the Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, said in his weekly radio address about the ACD meet. ``There has never been a real pan-Asian grouping...why can't we sit down for talks on promoting trade and strategic cooperation,'' he wanted to know.

Along with the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the latest Thai initiative points to the emergence of Asian forums, which were seen to be lacking in the past. However, even a forum like the ARF, which has powerful players such as the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and India in it, has been unable to play any kind of role beyond that of confidence-building.

The traditional conservatism of ASEAN-driven forums is clearly reflected in the ARF and if the ACD, which will see the participation of all 10 ASEAN nations, is steered by ASEAN, then the possibility of a vibrant, new forum is doubtful. Bangkok-based diplomats told this correspondent that the Thais, while enthusiastic about the ACD idea promoted by Mr. Thaksin, are themselves a "little vague'' about the whole process.

Several countries, which are sending representatives for the conference, remain unsure about the exact form the ACD might take or the need to have such a forum in the first place. Interestingly, from the number of questions the Chinese representative to the `Asia Security Conference' faced from Western strategic experts in Singapore, it is evident that the developed world is keen to draw Beijing into more debating and discussion forums. China is one of the invitees to the inaugural ACD meeting and the "idea'' of the discussion forum has reportedly been discussed with the Chinese in advance by the Thai authorities.

The ARF is one of the few regional organisations in which the Chinese participate; they were also present for what looks like a new forum for Defence Ministers emerging after the `Asia Security Conference'. Given Thailand's close diplomatic and military relations with the U.S., it would hardly be surprising if the ACD idea has been discussed informally between Bangkok and Washington. Military dialogues, confidence-building discussions, preventive diplomacy and multilateral discussion forums are all favoured by the U.S. and its Western allies. Though there are no direct interactions between the ACD participants and the United States, it is likely that if the ACD were to emerge as a full-fledged forum after this meeting, then the possibility of other regional entities interacting with it would emerge.

On the first day of the conference (June 18), the Thai Prime Minister will host an "informal working dinner'' for the attending Ministers. The second and concluding day of the conference will see an opening address by Mr. Thaksin and then a "closed session''. According to present indications, there will be no agenda, no assigned speakers, no specific topics and no joint communiqué prepared and agreed in advance by senior officials (as is the ASEAN practice). ``Nevertheless, as host and with consensus of the meeting, Thailand will prepare and issue a Chairman's statement for reference,'' a Thai Foreign Ministry announcement said.

It is possible that much of the spadework for the dialogue will be done outside the formal meetings. The opening address of Mr. Thaksin will be open to the press. There is considerable curiosity among diplomats in the region to see what finally emerges out of this new initiative as Foreign and other Ministers arrive at this picturesque beach resort in southern Thailand.

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Thais 'vague' about ACD process