ASEAN Accord Leaves US Out in the Cold

[chlamor]

Paul Dibb: Accord leaves US out in the cold

May 20, 2005

IT now seems likely that Australia will sign the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Co-operation. While that is understandable, in that it will facilitate our membership of the upcoming East Asia Summit, it is a pity.

It's worth having a close look at just what the TAC says. The first thing to remember is that it was signed by the then five members of ASEAN in February 1976 - only 10 months after the fall of Saigon to invading North Vietnamese communist forces. ASEAN countries were relatively weak at that time, and wanted to reassure Vietnam of their peaceful intentions.

As a result, the preamble to the TAC invokes the principles adopted by the Asian-African conference in Bandung in 1955. This espoused the ideas of non-alignment and peaceful coexistence, which excluded military alliances.

<snip>

But Australia is a closer ally of the US. Washington is not being invited to the East Asia Summit. It will undoubtedly not be pleased if we join, for the first time in our history, a regional security organisation that does not include the US.

http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15342798%255E7583,00.html

[burrowowl]

1. NO!

Out in the cold! In the heat with gobal warning!
Seriously, not being invited to EAS, are they felling the POWER and say f*&k you, U$?