Interview in Hanoi on 8 April 2010

TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP INTERVIEW BY MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS GEORGE YEO AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE PROTOCOL TO THE ASEAN CHARTER ON DISPUTE SETTLEMENT MECHANISMS AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE IN HANOI, VIETNAM ON 8 APRIL 2010

 

Question: Minister, what are the key issues confronting ASEAN during this Summit?

 

Minister: We had very good discussions yesterday evening about the regional architecture and how it should evolve to meet the coming challenges. This is a big subject. It requires very careful thinking among us and whatever step we take should be taken in a very considered way. All of us agreed that in this evolving regional architecture, ASEAN centrality should be affirmed and that what we do should serve the interest of all the major powers and not merely of particular groups. In fact, this is the strength of ASEAN’s weakness. To paraphrase the Indonesian President, “we have zero enemies, a thousand friends,” and this should also be at the heart of ASEAN diplomacy. I must say that the Vietnamese Chair has been very good, very effective. We covered all the agenda items in good time. Since the implementation of the ASEAN Charter early last year, the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta has done very good work. We now have the Committee of Permanent Representatives. This time round there were formal briefings by the Chair. I can say that we made good progress and the institution is coming along nicely.

 

Question: Are the Thai and Myanmar situations overshadowing other issues in this Summit?

 

Minister: The situation in Bangkok is worrying and is a sombre backdrop to our discussions. I have had discussions with Khun Kasit on the side and I really hope that the situation there will not lead to violence, that good sense will prevail and the parties involved will continue to talk.

 

Question: What about the Myanmar elections issue, was that brought up?

 

Minister: Yes. It wasn’t the central issue but a number of us, both at the open meetings and on the side, have expressed our hope that this last step in their roadmap to democracy will be marked by national reconciliation.

 

Question: How long will it take for ASEAN to build the ASEAN community from vision to action?

 

Minister: We have targeted the establishment of an ASEAN community by 2015. We are all set on that and we are determined to make that happen.

 

Question: But when will action begin because now it is a mere vision?

 

Minister: Action has already started ever since we started improving our connectivity, opening up our markets to one another, encouraging our people to interact and cooperate – these are ongoing processes.

 

Question: Could you tell in one sentence, what is your impression of the Summit in Hanoi?

 

Minister: I would say that the Vietnamese Chair has been very impressive, very effective, very disciplined and making sure that we make progress within the time that we have.

 

Question: ASEAN Foreign Ministers have just signed the Protocol, the DSM [Dispute Settlement Mechanism] Protocol, how significant is this?

 

Minister: Well, we made a political statement.  It is not yet a legal document because there are still bits not yet done, but it [the statement] commits us politically to having a dispute settlement mechanism which will give our agreements a concrete reality.

 

Question: What should be done for ASEAN to keep the central role in a bigger picture – regional cooperation and architecture?

 

Minister: It is very important that we stay in the driver's seat, and we stay in the driver's seat not because it is a matter of right, but because we are able to steer the car in a way which all the passengers can accept to be in their interests, in our collective interests, and in a manner which is fair and transparent. So this requires activity on our part. We can't be passive. We must always be seen to be responding to an evolving larger situation.

 

Question: What is your comment on the prospect of an East Asian community?

 

Minister: We discussed that a lot last night. We discussed the three options. How we should bring in the larger powers, in particular the US and Russia into the evolving regional architecture; and to do it in a way which ensures our long-term interests are protected.

 

Question: Has the South China Sea maritime issue been discussed?

 

Minister: Among the Ministers, no. We did not discuss it because the officials have had good agreement on this.

 

Question: Minister, how likely is it that ASEAN could welcome the US and Russia into the discussions as possibly ASEAN plus 8?

 

Minister: Step-by-step we are still clarifying our own thoughts on the subject. The leaders will discuss it today and tomorrow, and I think we need to get the Ministers to study it in greater detail. Not just Foreign Ministers but also Economic Ministers and Defence Ministers, so I would say let us not rush to do something which we may regret later but let us put our thinking hats on and work out an outcome, a solution which would be good for everybody.

 

Question: Sir, if the South China Sea issue has not been discussed at the ministerial level, at what level has it been discussed at this meeting and what have been the developments?

 

Minister: Oh, it is very much on the agenda. The officials have been discussing it. But for our meetings last night and today, we were discussing other subjects instead. It is not as if it is not important to us. It is just that officials have handled it and there is no need for the Ministers to discuss it further at this point in time.

 

Question: Sir, is there a feeling of surrender that there will be no real inclusive democratic election in Myanmar? What is the feeling ASEAN about it?

 

Minister: I’m sorry?

 

Question: What is the feeling of ASEAN about it? That it seems impossible to have an inclusive real democratic election in Myanmar.

 

Minister: I think their internal processes are still going on. There are intense discussions; I hope between the government and the political parties and I hope within the political parties themselves. But the coming months will be critical months for Myanmar.

 

Question: So you are still hopeful? That there will be reforms?

 

Minister: We hope that they will continue to move forward…

 

Question: What were the comments?

 

Minister: …ASEAN’s position is one of a continuing engagement with Myanmar.

 

Question: If Myanmar….

 

Minister: From Singapore’s own position, it has been disappointing that because of the way the election laws have been crafted, it is not possible for the NLD to participate in the elections. But I believe they will find a way to participate in some other way. I was talking to Pak Marty, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, how there was a similar situation in the past in Indonesia and the PDI, Partai Demokrasi Indonesia, reincarnated in the form of the PDI-P. So well, let’s see. It is an evolving domestic situation in Myanmar.

 

Question: But is Myanmar open to accommodate, still accommodate the opposition…?

 

Minister: No, in the end, what happens in Myanmar is for the Myanmar people to decide. We are outsiders. Of course we wish them well, we hope that they will progress quickly, but in the end it is for the Myanmar people to decide.

 

Question: So apparently like the Thai Prime Minister…

 

Minister: Where are you from?

 

Question: I’m from Reuters. So he cancelled the trip to come to participate in this meeting, so what is your reaction about it?

 

Minister: I fully understand why Khun Abhisit may not be able to come because he has just declared a state of emergency. It affects all Thai people, in the sense of personal safety and law and order, and I think if he is not able to come to this Summit, all the leaders will understand fully.

 

Question: Minister, don’t issues like that detract from ASEAN’s wish to move forward together as a community?

 

Minister: Issues like what?

 

Question: Issues like the unrest in Thailand, do they not detract from us in its wish to move forward as a community? Is it not a distraction to that goal?

 

Minister: No, ASEAN is not a collective grouping only for good times. The character of ASEAN is formed by how we react to crises, whether it is to natural disasters, or to man-made crises. It is precisely at times like this, when we have got to respond to difficult situations, that our character is formed.

 

Question: So what was the comment of the Foreign Minister of Myanmar last night when the issue about what was going on in his country was discussed?

 

Minister: We were not criticising him or lecturing him or telling him what to do. We were just making observations and suggestions, and he took them in a good spirit.

 

Question: What was his comment?

 

Minister: I think you better ask him.

 

Question: If Myanmar does not progress, if it backslides. Is there the chance of ASEAN doing anything substantive to criticise it or to punish it? Or will you simply continue to engage?

 

Minister: No, we are not in position to punish Myanmar. The reality of the strategic situation is that Myanmar's two biggest neighbours, China and India, will continue to engage the country. For this reason, the Western embargo has not worked. ASEAN takes a very realpolitik position which is that if China and India remain engaged in Myanmar, we have to. And it is better that Myanmar remain in the ASEAN sphere than being a buffer state in between the two biggest countries on earth.

 

Question: Do you think that ASEAN can issue a statement or say anything in support of the government of Abhisit at this moment? Obviously, they are under threat from the Red Shirts protesters. Do you think ASEAN should say something too?

 

Minister: Things are happening minute by minute. I just heard that Khun Abhisit may not be able to come. If he's not able to come, I'm quite sure he will issue a statement. I'm sure there will be a response from the Chair, and I'm sure there will be a response from the Leaders of ASEAN. But I have no doubts in my mind that the Leaders of ASEAN fully understand why he may not be able to come and join us for this meeting. Not because Thailand makes light of ASEAN, but because our first responsibility must be to our own people. The safety, the well-being of the Thai people are at stake here. He should be there where he is needed the most.

 

Question: Could any development regarding the.....

 

Minister: Can I be released now?

 

[Laughter]

 

Minister: Thank you.