The 21st ASEAN Summit and The East Asia Summit
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1 Highlights of the 21st ASEAN Summit • Brunei Darussalam received the ASEAN chairmanship for 2013 after a handover ceremony. Its theme for 2013 will be “Our People, Our Future Together” • ASEAN Heads of State and Government appointed HE Mr. Le Luong Minh, candidate from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as the upcoming Secretary-General of ASEAN based on alphabetical rotation for five year term, January 2013 – December 2018 • The Council of Permanent Representatives recommended that ASEAN Secretariat operation budget should increase to US$16.24 million for 2013, a 3% increase from last year THE 21 ST ASEAN SUMMIT Photograph taken from the official flickr stream of Yingluck Shinawatra. Used under the creative commons license ASEAN leaders at the 21st ASEAN-Summit and related summits The day following the 21st Summit, Cambodia declared ASEAN’s agreement not to “internationalise” the issue, a Beijing-sponsored proposal. This was met with opposition by several ASEAN nations, in particular the Philippines and Vietnam. Philippine President Benigno Aquino said, “there were several views expressed yesterday on ASEAN unity which we did not realise would be translated into an ASEAN consensus, for the record, this was not our understanding. The ASEAN route is not the only route for us. As a sovereign state, it is our right to defend our national interests.” Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said, “We believe it is in everybody’s interest that issues in the South China Sea are managed in a peaceful way in accordance with international law; that’s Australia’s perspective,” she said. “We do believe that a code of conduct would assist with making sure that any issues in the South China Sea, any conduct there, could be managed in accordance with the code, that is, that the rules and manner of responses would be predictable and knowable.” After the failure to release a joint statement during the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in July, this was a result which once again showed the failure of ASEAN governments to agree over how to deal with its territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea. China’s opposition to the internationalisation of the issue, as expressed in Cambodia’s initiatives, was evident, as was US support for the position of the Philippines and Vietnam. The US involved itself in this issue at an ASEAN meeting in July 2010 when Hilary Clinton called for its internationalisation. In December 2012, the four ASEAN claimant states, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei will meet to discuss the way forward. Development on the South China Sea Dispute WHY IT MATTERS:
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From 18-20 November 2012, leaders of the ten ASEAN countries and eight of their dialogue partners arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 7th East Asia Summit (EAS). This CARI Captures Special Report encapsulates the agreements and contentious issues that were discussed at these meetings between ASEAN leaders and their partners over the course of the Summit. It also synthesises the substance of state visits by US President Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to the ASEAN countries.
Transcript of The 21st ASEAN Summit and The East Asia Summit
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Highlights of the 21st ASEAN Summit
• BruneiDarussalamreceivedtheASEANchairmanshipfor2013afterahandoverceremony.Itsthemefor2013willbe“OurPeople,OurFutureTogether”
• ASEANHeadsofStateandGovernmentappointedHEMr.LeLuongMinh,candidatefromtheSocialistRepublicofVietnam,astheupcomingSecretary-GeneralofASEANbasedonalphabeticalrotationforfiveyearterm,January2013–December2018
• TheCouncilofPermanentRepresentativesrecommendedthatASEANSecretariatoperationbudgetshouldincreasetoUS$16.24millionfor2013,a3%increasefromlastyear
THE 21ST ASEAN SUMMIT
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
ASEAN leaders at the 21st ASEAN-Summitand related summits
Thedayfollowingthe21stSummit,CambodiadeclaredASEAN’sagreementnotto“internationalise”theissue,aBeijing-sponsoredproposal.ThiswasmetwithoppositionbyseveralASEANnations,inparticularthePhilippinesandVietnam.PhilippinePresidentBenignoAquinosaid,“therewereseveralviewsexpressedyesterdayonASEANunitywhichwedidnotrealisewouldbetranslatedintoanASEANconsensus,fortherecord,thiswasnotourunderstanding.TheASEANrouteisnottheonlyrouteforus.Asasovereignstate,itisourrighttodefendournationalinterests.”
AustralianPrimeMinisterJuliaGillardsaid,“Webelieveitisineverybody’sinterestthatissuesintheSouthChinaSeaaremanagedinapeacefulwayinaccordancewithinternationallaw;that’sAustralia’sperspective,”shesaid.“WedobelievethatacodeofconductwouldassistwithmakingsurethatanyissuesintheSouthChinaSea,anyconductthere,couldbemanagedinaccordancewiththecode,thatis,thattherulesandmannerofresponseswouldbepredictableandknowable.”
AfterthefailuretoreleaseajointstatementduringtheASEANforeignministersmeetinginJuly,thiswasaresultwhichonceagainshowedthefailureofASEANgovernmentstoagreeoverhowtodealwithitsterritorialdisputeswithChinaovertheSouthChinaSea.China’soppositiontotheinternationalisationoftheissue,asexpressedinCambodia’sinitiatives,wasevident,aswasUSsupportforthepositionofthePhilippinesandVietnam.TheUSinvolveditselfinthisissueatanASEANmeetinginJuly2010whenHilaryClintoncalledforitsinternationalisation.
InDecember2012,thefourASEANclaimantstates,Vietnam,Philippines,Malaysia,andBruneiwillmeettodiscussthewayforward.
Development on the South China Sea Dispute
WHY IT MATTERS:
ASEAN AT THE EAST ASIA SUMMIT
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ASEANanditssixdialoguepartners(Australia,China,India,SouthKorea,JapanandNewZealand)officiallylaunchednegotiationstoformamegafreetradeagreementcalledtheRegionalComprehensiveEconomicPartnership(RCEP).
Theterm“dialoguepartner”referstoamechanismwhichdefinesASEAN’sstrategyintheregionalarchitecture,linkingASEANwiththefastestgrowingregionsintheworld,andenablingcooperationinfinance,foodsecurity,educationandconnectivity.ASEAN’slessdevelopedcountriessuchasCambodia,Laos,MyanmarandVietnamhavebenefittedfromthisarrangement.
TheRCEPistheonlyASEAN-centricregionalFTAinnegotiation.Accordingtointernationaleconomists,morefreetradedealsareapositivedevelopmenttowardstheWTOgoalofglobalfreetrade.However,therearenuancedpoliticsfromotherinitiatives.Forexample,theUS-ledTPPexcludesChinawhileChinapreferstheEastAsiaFTAtobewithintheconfinesofASEAN+3.
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
The Official launch of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
TheRCEPtradeareawillincludeASEANanditssixdialoguepartners,butalsohasanopenaccessionclausethatallowsanyASEANFTApartneroreconomicpartnertojoin.ThePartnershipagreementwasinitiallyproposedbyASEANattheASEANSummitin2011,whenitsleadersadoptedaframeworkwhichoutlinestheprinciplesforextendingcooperationandengagementwithASEAN’sdialoguepartners.Thiseconomicandtechnicalcooperationwillallowallpartiestomaximizetheopportunitiesmadeavailablebydeeperandbroadereconomicengagementsregardlessoftheirlevelofdevelopment.
Commencement of RCEP Negotiations
WHY IT MATTERS:
Adoption of the Human Rights Declaration TheSummitofficiallylaunchedtheASEANInstituteforPeaceandReconciliationandadoptedtheASEANHumanRightsDeclaration(AHRD).Thedocumentwasproducedin2011contained“seriousflaws”accordingtocritics,andhassincebeenrevisedattheinstructionoftheASEANMinistersMeetinginJuly2012.
TheAHRDoutlinestheprinciplesandobjectivesforthepromotionandprotectionofhumanrightsinASEAN.IndonesianForeignMinisterMartyNatalegawawanotedthatsincetheAHRDisadocumentthatmusthaveconsensussupportofallthetenASEANMemberStates,it“willneverpleaseallparties.”
Establishment of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre in CambodiaThesummitapprovedtheestablishmentoftheASEANRegionalMineActionCentreinCambodia.Cambodia,whichhasasizeablepoolofdeminingexperts,hasbeentheprimemoverofthisideaandwantstohosttheCentre.PrimeMinisterHunSensaidthemoveistimelyandessential,asalmostallASEANcountrieshavetodealwiththemenaceoflandmines.
References: ISEAS,ASEANSecretariatNews,ASEANPlusThreeCommemorativeSummit,ASEANSecretariatNews,ASEANandPartnersLaunchFTA
TRANS-PACIFICPARTNERSHIP(TPP)
12 COUNTRIES:US, Australia, Vietnam,Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei,Malaysia, Mexico,Canada, ThailandUnder negotiation
EAST ASIAFREE TRADEAREA (EAFTA)
13 COUNTRIES:ASEAN+3
(Korea, Japan, China)
Under negotiation
COMPREHENSIVEECONOMICPARTNERSHIP IN EASTASIA (CEPEA)
16 COUNTRIES:ASEAN+6
(Korea, Japan, China,
India, New Zealand)
Under negotiation
16 COUNTRIES:ASEAN+6
(Korea, Japan, China,
India, New Zealand)
Under negotiation
10 COUNTRIES:ASEAN countries
Will come intoforce 31 Dec 2015
REGIONALCOMPREHENSIVEECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP (RCEP)
ASEANECONOMICCOMMUNITY
Source: Asian Development Bank Institute
S IGNATORIESAND
INTERESTED/NEGOT IAT ING
PART IES
A G R E E M E N T
Neogiations began between New Zealand, Brunei, Chile & Singapore in 2005. Six more countries joined in 2008. Next round of negotiations will be held in New Zealand in late 2012
Launched in 2001 by ASEAN+3 leaders. China demonstrated stronger initiative & favoured limiting membership to ASEAN+3 countries
Proposed by Japan after the creation of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) in 2006. CEPEA and EAFTA are being pursued concurrently.
A 2011 ASEAN driven trade pact that builds on existing FTAs between ASEAN & dialogue partners. It has a clause that allows new partners.
In 2003, ASEAN leaders agreed to develop an Economic Community by 2015, by creating a single market & production base, a competitive region, an equitable economic development, and a region integrated into the global economy
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OnthesidelinesoftheEAS,ASEANandChinaheldits15thSummiton19November2012.Theleadersissuedajointstatementforthe10thAnniversaryoftheDeclarationofCodeofConduct(DoC)ontheSouthChinaSea.TheoriginalDoCwassignedin2002andisanon-bindingpact.
ThreeprotocolsweresignedbytheeconomicministersthatwouldamendframeworksthatensurefurtherimplementationoftheASEAN-ChinaFreeTradeArea(ACFTA).AnACFTAJointCommitteeformedandwouldoverseeandsuperviseACFTAimplementationand
PhotographtakenfromtheflickrstreamofASEAN2012Cambodia.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
Chinese and ASEAN leaders at the 15th ASEAN-China Summit
relatedagreements.Otheractionsweretakentoprovidetradefacilitationfortheapplicationofgoodsthatweresubjecttotechnicalbarrierstotradeandsanitaryandphytosanitarymeasures.
References: ASEANSecretariatNews
Official release:ASEAN-Chinajointstatementon10thAnniversaryofDOCinSouthChinaSea
15th ASEAN-China Summit
ASEAN AT THE EAST ASIA SUMMIT
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Thailand
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21November2012
ThePremierofChina,WenJiabao,travelledtoBangkokfollowingtheconclusionoftheEAS.HereceivedanaudiencewiththeKingandheldbilateraldiscussionswithPrimeMinisterYingluckShinawatra.
PremierWenalsoconveyedBeijing’sinterestinbiddingwithothermultinationalstohelpconstructThailand’shigh-speedrailprojects,namelytheBangkok-NongKhairailway.TherailwayisexpectedtobecometransnationalafteritislinkedupwithaLaotian-builtline.TheUS$7billionLaotianhigh-speedrailwillbeginconstructioninJanuaryandwouldalsoconnectVientianetotheChineseborderby2018.
Fourmemorandumsofunderstandingweresignedonricetrade,Chineseeducation,ICTcooperation,andcriminalextradition.China’sriceimportingneedsaremounting,whileThailand’sgovernmentricepledgingschemehasitstockpilingover12milliontonnes,asurplusamountofrice.Thericedealcouldaddresstheagricultureissuesinbothcountries.
ThePremier’svisittoThailandreceivedconsiderablylesscoveragethanthatoftheUSPresident,butcomeswithmoreinitiativesforChinaandThailand.
ThailandiscurrentlythecountrycoordinatorofASEAN-Chinarelations,fromJuly2012toJuly2015.TheCabinet,duringitsmeetingon12November2012,approvedThailand’scontributiontofinancialsupportfortheoperationoftheASEAN-ChinaCentre.
Mr Wen has given us the honour of making Thailand the last country he will visit in his premiership
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
TheChinesepremieralsohadanaudiencewithHMKingBhumibolAdulyadejandwasgrantedthesamerespectandhonoursasPresidentObama.Drivenbythemomentumoftradeandinvestment,ThailandisleaningincreasinglytowardsChinaatthesametimethatAmericaissignallingitsrenewedcommitmenttoSoutheastAsiaandstrengtheningtheUS-Thaimilitaryalliance.ThailandfacesabalancingactasakeySoutheastAsianstateintherenewedsuperpowerrivalryoverSoutheastAsia.Thaiforeignpolicyhas,ofcourse,shownitsmasteryofsuchbalancingoverthecourseofthelasttwocenturies.
References: Reuters,ChinaDaily
WHY IT MATTERS:
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Bangkok Post
President Barack Obama meets with HM the King Bhumibol Adulyadej
PresidentObamaandPrimeMinisterYingluckheldprivatediscussionsbeforeissuingajointpressstatementandtakingquestions.ThestatementreflectedonthehistoricalandenduringtiesbetweentheUnitedStatesandThailand.The President acknowledged Thailand’s important role in the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and welcomed Thailand’s interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
ThailandisstillassessingthevalueofjoiningtheTPP,atradepactthatincludestheUS,Australia,NewZealand,Chile,Peru,Vietnam,Singapore,MalaysiaandBrunei,CanadaandMexico.
Why it Matters: ThevisittoThailandwasnotmerelyastopover.StrengtheningThai-USrelationshiphassignificantvaluetotheUS.Therehasbeena“driftinthealliance”andthePresident’svisitservestofixthisproblemasThailand’srelationshipwithChinagrows.TheUSisalsotryingtoenlistThailandasthenextpartnerintheTPP,whichisstillbeingconsideredbytheYingluckadministration.
ThePresident’svisitalsohasdomesticimplications.TelevisedfootageofthePresidentandtheKingrepresentedpowersymbolismanda“publicrelationstriumphofroyalpersistence”writesAndrewWalker,DeputyDeanoftheAustralianNationalUniversityCollegeofAsiaandthePacific.“Obama’smeetingwiththePrimeMinisterdrawsattentiontothestabilityofYingluck’sgovernmentandaddstoherdomesticandinternationallegitimacy.ItalsohighlightsthechallengefacingThailand’smonarchyasitstrugglestocometogripswiththeelectoralpopularityoftheShinawatras.”
Official releases:2012JointVisionsStatementfortheUS-ThaiallianceJointPressStatementbetweenPresidentBarackObama andPrimeMinisterYingluckShinawatraPresidentObama&PrimeMinisterShinawatraJointPressConference[Video]
References: AustralianNationalUniversity,HeritageFoundation,Defense.gov
DISCUSSION WITH PRIME MINISTER YINGLUCK
Prime Minister Yingluck and President Obama reviewing honor guard in Bangkok.
FromtheofficialflickrstreamoftheWhiteHouse.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
THAILAND18 NOVEMBER 2012
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PresidentBarackObamavisitedThailandonthefirsttripabroadofhissecondterm.ThedecisiontomakeanASEANtriphasbeeninthecalculusoftheStateDepartmentandWhiteHousebeforetheelections.ThailandwaschosenasthefirstdestinationforitsstatusasaUStreatyally.DirectorofAsianStudiesattheWashington-basedHeritageFoundation,WalterLohman,writesthatthevisittoThailandismoststrategicallyimportantrelationshipfortheUnitedStatesinAsia.ThetieswithMyanmararestillcomplicated,whileseniorofficialsintheWhiteHousesaidthatthePresidentwouldnothavevisitedCambodiawereitnothostingtheEastAsiaSummit.
WashingtonhasstronginterestinsustainingrelationswithThailandandforgingclosertiesbeforeBangkokalignsclosertoBeijing.Tothisend,aheadofthePresident’strip,DefenceSecretaryLeonPanettawasinThailandandsignedthe2012JointVisionStatementfortheThai-USDefenceAlliancewithThaiDefenceMinisterSukampolSuwannathat
AfterPresidentObamaarrivedinThailand,hetraveledtoSirajHospitalwherehehadanaudiencewithHMKingBhumibolAdulyadej.
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
MYANMAR19 NOVEMBER 2012
Thefollowingday,PresidentBarackObamaarrivedinMyanmaronthemorningof19Novemberforasixhourvisit.HisscheduleincludedmeetingswithMyanmarPresidentTheinSein,MemberofParliamentandoppositionleaderAungSanSuuKyi,avisittotheUSEmbassyinMyanmar,andaspeechattheUniversityofYangon.
AfterameetingbetweenthetwopresidentsintheParliamentBuildinginYangon,PresidentObamaandPresidentTheinSeinheldajointpressbriefing.TheUSandMyanmarwouldcooperateonissuessuchascapacitybuildingofMyanmarofficials,educationandpublichealth.ObamaexpressedhisconfidenceintheprocessofreformthatTheinSeinhasled,addingthatallthestepstakencouldunleashtheenormouspotentialofthecountry.Hementionedthatthesearehoweveronlythefirststepsonalongjourney,addingthattheUSiscommittedtohelppromotingprogressthatwillbegoodnotonlyforthecountrybutfortheregionandtheinternationalcommunity.LastlyObamathankedMyanmarforitscooperationinnon-proliferationissued,afterMyanmaragreedtosigntheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency’sadditionalprotocol,grantingtheUNnuclearagencyrightstoinspectsuspectednuclearsitesinthecountry.
Obamareferredtothecountryas“Myanmar”inhismeetingwiththeMyanmarPresident,asadiplomaticcourtesy,buttheUSofficiallyreferstothecountrybyitsformername,Burma.
FulltextofremarksmadebyPresidentObamaandPresidentTheinSeinaftertheirmeetingisavailablehere.
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT THEIN SEIN
President Barack Obama and Presi-dent Thein Sein of Myanmar in a bilateral meeting at the Parliament Building in Yangon PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamoftheUSStateDepartment.USGovernmentworkslicence
MEETING WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI
PresidentObamahadanhalfanhourmeetingwithAungSanSuuKyiatherhomeinYangon,afterwhichthetwogaveashortpressbriefing.
AungSanSuuKyiexpressedhergratitudeforUS’ssupportofthedemocracymovementinthecountryandconfidenceofUScontinuedsupportthroughthedifficultyearsahead.Shewarnedofcomplacencywiththereformprocess,sayingthat“themostdifficulttimeinanytransitioniswhenwethinkthatsuccessisinsight”.SheexpressedherintentionofkeepingintouchwiththeUSgovernmentandofthemaligningwithoneanotheronthemostimportantmatters.
PresidentObamasaidhewashonouredtohavebeenthefirstUSPresidenttowelcomeAungSanSuuKyitotheWhitehouseandthefirsttovisitMyanmar.HeexpressedUSgoalsofsustainingthemomentumfordemocratisation,includingthebuildingofcrediblegovernmentinstitutions,theestablishmentofruleoflaw,endingethnicconflicts,andensuringpeople’saccesstoeducation,healthcareandeconomicopportunities.OnafinalnotehelaudedAungSanSuuKyiforhercontinuedeffortstowardsdemocracy,whichhesaidhasbeenaninspirationtopeoplearoundtheworldandtothepresidentpersonally.
FulltextofremarksmadebyPresidentObamaandAungSanSuukyiaftertheirmeetingisavailablehere.
President Obama greets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at her residencePhotographfromtheflickrstreamoftheUSStateDepartment.UsedundertheUSGovernmentworkslicence
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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
MYANMAR19 NOVEMBER 2012
BarackObamagaveaspeechattheYangonUniversityforadiversecrowdofaround1,500people,includingstudents,officialsandformergenerals.TherewerenoVIPlinesandallparticipants,includingmembersofparliamentandformergeneralshadtowalkthroughthesamesecuritygate.
Obamadrewapplausetwiceduringthe30-minutespeech,firstwhenhesaidreformwillnotsucceedwithoutnationalreconciliationandagainwhenhestressedtherolecitizensmustplayinademocracy.ObamaremindedtheaudienceofFranklinD.Roosevelt’sdefinitionoffourfundamentalfreedoms:freedomofspeech,freedomofworship,freedomfromwantandfreedomfromfear.DrawingonthesefreedomsObamadescribedthevisionheseesforMyanmarincludingminorityrights,freespeechandcivilianrule.
Obamaannouncedthere-establishmentofUSAIDmissioninMyanmar,andexpressedUSdesireofhelpingMyanmarimprovingitscapacitytofeeditspeople,careforthesickandeducateitschildren.
Obamastressedthatforthesakeofthecountry’sfuture,theviolenceinRakhinestatemuststop.“Fortoolong,thepeopleofthisstate,includingethnicRakhine,havefacedcrushingpovertyandpersecution.Butthereisnoexcuseforviolenceagainstinnocentpeople”hesaid.
President Obama said that he has embraced ASEAN because ASEAN nations are on the move; they are growing nations and emerging democracies with cooperating governments. “This is what the 21st century should look like if we have the courage to put aside our differences and move forward with a sense of mutual interest and mutual respect.”
ObamausedtheopportunitytoencourageNorth-Koreatoletgooftheirnuclearweaponsandchoosethepathofpeaceandprogress.HealsosaidthattheUSwelcomesthepeacefulriseofChinaandIndia.
OnafinalnoteObamaspoketothecitizensofMyanmar,encouragingthemtotakeactivepartonthecountry’spathtodemocracyandtoseizefreedom.HesaidhebelievedthatsomethingirreversibleishappeninginMyanmar,somethingthatcanliftupthenationandsetagreatexamplefortheworld.AndhepromisedtheUnitedStateswouldbeMyanmar’spartneronthelongjourney.
TheFulltextofObama’sspeechisavailablehere.Videoofspeechavailablehere.
Official releases:RemarksbyPresidentObamaandPresidentTheinSeinofMyanmarAfterBilateralMeetingRemarksbyPresidentObamaandDawAungSanSuuKyiRemarksbyPresidentObamaattheUniversityofYangon
Why it MattersObamaisthefirstsittingpresidenttovisitMyanmarandhisvisitisseenasacknowledgementofthesuccessofthereformistgovernment,whichhasnowruledforayearandahalf.PressuredbytheUS,theMyanmargovernmentannouncedtwoimportantdecisionspriortoObama’svisit.FirstthegovernmentassuredtheUNthatitwouldaddressthehumanrightsconcernsoftheRohingya,includingconsideringcitizenshipfortheminoritygroup.Secondly,MyanmaragreedtohaveallitsnuclearestablishmentsinspectedbytheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency.
ObamawasthefirstforeignleadertomeettheMyanmarPresidentinYangon,andnottheadministrativecapitalNaypyidawbuiltbythepreviousmilitaryjunta.Obama’sspeechatYangonUniversity,aplacewitharichoppositionhistory,wasaimedtoinspiretheMyanmarpublictoembracetheirnewfoundfreedom.ThefactthatthegovernmentagreedtotheplaceofthebilateralmeetingandObama’sspeechisinitselfsignofreform.
AlthoughthePresident’sspeechdrewontheprinciplesofdemocracyandcivilduties,AmericanengagementwithMyanmarislessaboutdemocracy,andmoreaboutmanagingChina,andpavingthewayforAmericancompaniestoenterMyanmar.
Whileanalysesdifferontheimpactofthepresidentialvisit,itisfirstly,aconfidencebuildingmeasurefortherelationship.ItopensdoorsforUSbusinessesandalsoservestofosterstabilityanddemocracyinthecountry.
YANGON UNIVERSITY SPEECH
President Obama Delivers a Speech at the University of YangonPhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamoftheUSStateDepartment.USGovernmentworkslicence
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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
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TheleadersacknowledgedtheimportanceofacodeofconductintheSouthChinaSea,butnofurthermentionofthedisputedterritorieswasdiscussed.
TheyexpandedeconomictiesaftertheASEAN-USTradeandInvestmentFrameworkAgreement(TIFA)2013wassigned.TIFAsareexploratorystudiesandinsomecasesprecursorstoanFTA.
TheUS-ASEANExpandedEconomicEngagement(E3)Initiativewasalsolaunchedatthismeeting.TheE3InitiativeisdesignedtoexpandtradebetweentheUSandASEANbyidentifyingspecificcooperativeactivitiestofacilitatetradeandinvestmentandcreatemoreawarenessoftheopportunitiesbetweenthepartners.TheE3InitiativealsoseekstobuildfoundationsforASEANcountriestojointheTrans-PacificPartnership(TPP).
SpecificmeasuresintheE3Initiativeincludesimplifiedcustomspractices,jointdevelopmentofICTprinciplesandtradeinformationexchanges,cooperationinaddressinginvestmentpolicies,non-discrimination,investorprotection,andtransparency.TheInitiativealsoemphasisesenhancingcapacitiesofsmallandmediumenterprises(SMEs).
Official release: JointStatementfromtheUS-ASEANLeaders’Meeting
References: ExpandedEconomicEngagementInitiative
Why it Matters:ThistripwasseenasasuccessfortheAmericanpolicycommunity.However,Americanstayingpowerrestsuponsomecrucialissues.Firstly,Congressmustresolvetheissueofthefiscalcliffandreconcilebeforeautomaticspendingcutsthatwouldreducethebudgetby10%byJanuary2013areactivated.Secondly,itisunclearwhowillreplaceSecretaryClinton,DefenceSecretaryPanetta,andAssistantSecretaryKurtCampbell,strongsupportersofAmericanpolicyinAsia.
US-ASEAN LEADERS’ MEETING
Leaders of ASEAN countries and the United States pose for a photo PhototakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra
CAMBODIA 19 - 21 NOVEMBER 2012
8ThisreportwaswrittenbyCARIresearchers,ChayutSetboonsarng,SóleyÓmarsdóttir,andManissavanGeyzel,withdesignsbyChristinaChin.
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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
