On paper it's Cambodia's summit. In reality it will be Barack Obama's summit. The United States was admitted to the East Asia Summit only last year, six years after the first summit.
But Obama has no intention of easing himself into the organisation like
an ordinary newcomer. He will arrive invigorated by his re-election and
looking forward to another four years.
China, the great competing power in the region, will send Premier Wen
Jiabao who retires in March after 10 years in the job. Obama wants to
see the East Asia Summit as a forum where political, security and
strategic dialogue can be added to the list of issues leaders discuss as
well as the less contentious issues such as a disaster relief, energy,
climate change, and health. That might sound like code for China and the
maritime territorial disputes it has with many of its neighbours. But
with US messaging, there is no need for code. Obama will raise it
himself to press home how instability in the region would jeopardise
economic growth.
That risks opening up the tensions that saw an almighty row in Phnom
Penh in July when Cambodia, a great friend of China, refused to agree to
a joint communique by Asean foreign ministers because it noted some
belligerency by China over its disputes. The temperature on the issue
has been lowered through the diplomacy of Indonesian Foreign Minister
Marty Natalegawa who is trying to get all parties signed up to a code of
conduct on how to handle their disputes.
Obama will also arrive secure in the knowledge that the US has close
friends around the table, not least John Key and New Zealand.
Obama's administration has paid special attention to relationships in
the area to "rebalance" its strategic priorities to the Asia Pacific
region. It already has well-established security alliances with Japan,
Thailand, the Philippines and Australia; it has close relationships with
Singapore, South Korea, and India and a relationship with NZ that is
deepening every week.
And having just visited Burma, he may well arrive with one more friend.
2 comments:
We have no lands to farm any more President Obama! Please help us!
We have no house to live any more President Obama! Please help us!
Our love one was murdered by Hun Sen! Please help us Mr President!
Cambodia justice system kill the poor and serve the rich only, We have never been treat as human being in the court! Mr President!
Please help Khmers! we think you are the living God!
Khmer people are love President Obama and hate Samdach Decho autocratic Hun Sen! Please help!
From the Voices of khmer Victims to President Obama!
General Lon Nol was cheating America such as fake number of ghost soldiers eg. on the list to America General Lon Nol put 100 000 soldiers and need salary for them from American tax payers and American gave in excess to general Lon Nol but in real number of soldiers have only 10 000 real soldiers. 90 000 soldiers salaries were go in to General Lon Nol pockets with his top few officers.
Lon Nol betrayal America and also betray his own soldiers and put their lives in danger that is why 85% of the soldiers were killed because of General Lon Nol management cheating skills.
American military aid, 50% of the American miliatry aid were sold to Khmer Rough that is why the real soldiers were lack of foods and weapons to fight, they end up died injusticely by General Lon Nol.
General Lon Nol's children and all his grandchildren are living on the suffer and khmers blood money.
His soldiers as well as millions of khmer death demand justice now!
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