Enough Tit-For-Tat diplomacy

12/08/2012
By Davan Long
Letter to the Bangkok Post
Postbag

The spat over disagreements in wording which resulted in the omission of the post-summit joint statement altogether at the Asean summit in Phnom Penh last month seems to have regrettably taken on a life of its own, and grows uglier as each day goes by, with no clear end in sight.

The hot topic now is no longer the absence of the joint statement, but how the fallout has been dealt with.

Less than two weeks after the summit ended, it was agreed by the member states to adopt six principles which, according to Cambodian officials, were the very same principles tabled by Cambodia as the meeting's chair but were categorically rejected by Vietnam and the Philippines during the meeting.

Despite that commendable progress, thanks in large part to the intense diplomatic manoeuvring from Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines continue to uncharacteristically trade barbs in public.

To kill a mocking belligerence

07 Aug 2012
Author: Abhijit Iyer-Mitra
The Pioneer (India)

The recently concluded Asean summit witnessed Beijing at its bellicose best on the issue of the South China Sea. Some countries fell in line with the assertiveness. Most others including India have refused to succumb. Yet, it requires more than talk to counter Chinese designs

Asean, according to some accounts, came very close to rupture last month. During the summit, the Philippines and Vietnam were denied the opportunity to voice their concerns about China’s increasing military assertiveness in the South China Sea —including the seizure of a new shoal of reefs. Cambodia had earlier conveyed to both countries that it did not want the issue brought up, while those countries contended it was their right to do so and Asean had always had a tradition of supporting their own — even if only perfunctorily — against outsiders. Nobody in Asean, however, had expected Cambodia to go as far as it did — turning off Philippine Foreign Minister Albert De Rosario’s microphone the moment he touched on the subject (blamed conveniently, of course, on a ‘technical glitch’).

Leave aside the rupture and the frenzied media speculation, what happened last month was typical Chinese diplomacy at work — clunky, clumsy and crude. The one seeming flaw with China (and not just Chinese diplomats) is that they take grave offence at words. In essence, much of the Chinese diplomacy consists of being polite and assuming that being polite somehow translates into problem- solving. Contrast this with the US’s method which accepts harsh verbal criticism in public and fiery exchanges in private, aimed specifically at thrashing out issues. This is a narrative that seems common to most diplomats: the Indian, the American or any other that, when confronted with a situation — say, “You chaps transferred nuclear bomb technology to Pakistan” — the standard response is denial. And, when the denial is refuted it is treated as a sign of bad manners. Such behaviour is hard to translate culturally, but at some level combines the culture of speech restrictions in China with that age-old Asian tradition of ‘saving face’. Of course, the Chinese also tend to have completely bizarre public temper tantrums, most famously referring to former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten as a “prostitute”, and far worse adjectives for the Dalai Lama.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Hijacking

Thitinan vs Cambodian Ambassador [M'am You Ay]

Jul 30, 2012
By Bangkok Pundit
Asian Correspondant

Thitinan had an op-ed on Friday in the Bangkok Post entitled “China, US widen Asean rifts”. The Cambodian Ambassador responds in a letter to the editor in the Bangkok Post. BP has excerpted some of the choice insults:

I wish to clear up some points of misperception written by Thitinan Pongsudhirak in the opinion section of the Bangkok Post on July 27 entitled “Asean rifts widen as China, US rivalry grows”.

First, those who said the Peace Palace was ”funded and adorned by Chinese arts” are simply ignorant people.

…

Second, the assertion that China has become an ”open patron state of Phnom Penh” with more than US$10 billion (310 billion baht) in aid and investment is purely insulting.…

Third, the allegation that Cambodia ”shared the draft version of the joint statement with the Chinese, who then vetoed it” is extremely disparaging and slanderous. Those who make such scathing remarks against Cambodia have no other intention than to defame Cambodia’s credibility.

When and where did Mr Thitinan obtain this information, or did he copy it blindly from one other journalist without credible facts to substantiate their allegations? Or is it a deliberate smear campaign against Cambodia?

…

The answer is clear: these two Asean countries had their own hidden plan to sabotage the AMM and made the JC a hostage of their bilateral disputes.

BP: She obviously went to the Kasit School of Diplomacy. Interestingly, the words “incorrect” and “wrong” do not appear once in the Ambassador’s letter. Perhaps, their usage may have been a better way to convey the point….

ASEAN Summit Opens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC9ZfYj6BOg

Clinton Meets With Asean States Ahead of Regional Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGJCPt4KVX4

Opportunities lost at ASEAN summit - Op-Ed by Chhaya Khemarak

Asean rubs wounds with China

Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation

At the press conference wrapping up the summit, Hun Sen was visibly not happy with the media focus on the perceived roles of China and Cambodia over this issue. Hun Sen knows that if this sentiment continues, it will impact on his chairmanship and Cambodia’s budding relations with China and longstanding fraternal ties with Vietnam, not to mention Asean and the region’s stability as a whole.

(Commentary) – Until recently, the Philippines maintained a fairly benign defence strategy in relation to its claims in the South China Sea. Domestic turmoil, economic problems and southern rebellions kept the country too preoccupied to fully deal with this key security issue.

However, since July 2010, the government under President Benigno Aquino III has displayed an assertive foreign policy posture in relations with the US and China, which are themselves moving in opposite directions on this issue.

At last week’s Asean summit in Phnom Penh, the Philippines unmistakably emerged as the most critical and loudest voice against China over the maritime territorial disputes. Even the strong territorial claims held by Vietnam, which has fought many wars during thousands of years of adversarial relations with China, looked pale by comparison.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: A Child

China Claims 90% of Spratly Islands, Actually Controls 13% [-India flexing muscle at China?]

India Defense Minister A.K. Antony launches the INS Chakra

India launches first nuclear sub as tensions grumble on over Spratly Islands

Monday, April 9, 2012

By 2point6billion.com

Apr. 9 – China suffered a blow at the recent ASEAN meetings in Phnom Penh, losing a motion not to have South China Sea disputes discussed during the summit. China is not a member of ASEAN, but has been granted observer status and the request to interfere with the ASEAN agenda did not seem to sit well with the 10 countries that make up the Southeast Asian bloc. In particular, four ASEAN countries – Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines – are directly engaged in disagreements with China over ownership of the Spratly Islands.

China has long held a view that the South China Sea is Chinese, and that disputes should only be settled with Beijing directly on a bilateral basis. ASEAN, however, provides a multilateral forum and a bloc that allows disputes to be discussed collectively. Much of the debate focuses on the Vietnamese government’s decision to allow a joint venture between an Indian oil drilling company in blocks controlled by Vietnam. China has criticized the move, suggesting that significant “economic and political risks” await both Vietnam and India should exploration commence.

A frustrating Asean summit [-Yingluck and Hun Xen agree not to station Indonesian troops in Preah Vihear?]

9/04/2012
Bangkok Post

Editorial

Prime ministers Yingluck Shinawatra and Hun Sen quickly and easily agreed to leave Thai and Cambodian border forces exactly where they are at the Preah Vihear temple region. Jakarta quickly acquiesced, no doubt relieved that the old plan to station Indonesian troops at the disputed frontier was growing even more unlikely.

To say that last week's summit of the Association of Southeast Nations was disappointing is an understatement. Not too much was expected when the 10 presidents and prime ministers met in Phnom Penh. But even less was actually achieved.

At least, in the traditional photo of the woman and nine men linking arms on the farewell stage, all of them were smiling. If they were still getting along famously, the two days weren't an entire write off.

The dismal under-achievement of the 2012 summit once again raises the question of whether such meetings are worth it.

They cost the taxpayers of the countries millions which could be better spent. Seldom do they have serious agendas that couldn't just as easily be covered in other ways. These days, telephone, teleconference and internet hookups are simple.

ASEAN + China and Bhutan?

April 10, 2012
By Luke Hunt
The Diplomat

Bhutan has a National Happiness Index (by which it means a deep abiding happiness) and would prefer to see a world driven less by greed and more by harmony ... Some 192 countries will vote in the General Assembly for the next round of non-permanent members, and how Cambodia fares will depend on an audience that’s much wider than ASEAN and China. Perhaps Cambodia too should listen to Bhutan.

Within the various corridors of power across Southeast Asia, tongues are still wagging over the outburst delivered by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at last week’s ASEAN summit. At the heart of the speech was Cambodia’s close relationship with China, and his message was simple: Beijing’s generous financial backing of his government didn’t compromise Cambodia’s standing as the annual host of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The claim came despite continued friction over the contested Spratly islands, where China has laid claim to the oil and gas rich island chain that lies much closer to the geographical boundaries of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei than anywhere near its own shores.

All four belong to the 10-member ASEAN bloc, where a rift has emerged following Cambodia’s decision to try and outbox an attempt by ASEAN to forge a united front against China on the Spratlys issue.

Adding to the dissension, The Diplomat has since learned that the trip by Chinese President Hu Jintao to Phnom Penh on the eve of the ASEAN Summit that so rattled delegates wasn’t quite the state visit Beijing would have many believe.

Indeed, the visit wasn’t organized by Hun Sen’s office, but through the royal family. Nor was he invited. In short, Hu’s office rang King Norodom Sihamoni’s people and asked the King to invite the Chinese leader. Hu’s visit was then tacked onto the end of a tour of South Korea and India.

Hun Xen made a spectacle out of himself?

Before accusing somebody of alopecia, Hun Xen may have to look at his own hair first!

A Dramatic Summit

April 09, 2012
Jamil Maidan Flores
The Jakarta Post

When the 20th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations concluded in Phnom Penh last week, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen gave a news conference that many described as, to put it mildly, a spectacle. He talked about the summit, but he also spent time defending himself against accusations that he has been, also to put it mildly, under too much Chinese influence.

He waxed wrathful against critics, including local political rivals, whom he denounced as, again to put it mildly, “stupid” and “crazy.” He also made sure the press knew one of his opponents was afflicted with alopecia.

Diplomats who did not know Hun Sen well and reporters covering Cambodia for the first time were primly scandalized. “But for Hun Sen, that’s par for the course,” says Ngurah Swajaya, Indonesia’s ambassador to Asean and the former ambassador to Cambodia. “That’s his normal style.”

It is also the normal public speaking style of many politicians I know. You just don’t usually catch them chairing Asean summits.

Stupid is as stupid say on world stage: Hun Sen press conference at ASEAN summit on 04 April 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrrmXHWC4vI

20th summit goes off on a tangent

5 April 2012 Thursday
Panchali Saikia
Research Officer, IPCS
Tehelka.com (India)

UNDER THE theme ‘ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny’, the 20th ASEAN summit had much to talk about than what it had set as an agenda. Marking the 45th anniversary of the regional bloc, the Summit was held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia from April 3-4, 2012. After the two-day session, four major documents were adopted by the leaders of the Association, ‘Phnom Penh Declaration on ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny’, ‘Phnom Penh Agenda on ASEAN Community Building’, ‘ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Drug-Free ASEAN 2015’, and ‘ASEAN Concept Paper on Global Movement of the Moderates (GMM)’.

The opening address and the closing remarks of the Summit by the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen were focussed on building a road map to meet ASEAN integration goal and forming legal instruments for interpreting and monitoring the implementation of the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity. He also outlined a seven-point Phnom Penh Agenda, which called for strengthened mechanism for financial stability and priority for the ASEAN Economic Community. ASEAN has been relatively successful in building connectivity within the region and it seems it won’t be tough for them to achieve what has been projected. However, with looming concerns over the internal and regional security aspects, will the region be able to realise their goals?

ទីបំផុត ហ៊ុនសែន ត្រូវជួយផ្សាយ លិខិត សមរង្ស៊ី សរសេរទៅចិន

(Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

សម្ដេច​តេ​ជោ​៖ សម រង្ស៊ី អ្នកនយោបាយ​ឱកាសនិយម ដែលជា​ការនាំ​កម្ពុជា​ចេញ​ផុតពី​អាស៊ាន

ថ្ងៃទី 4 មេសា 2012
ដោយ: រតនា
Cambodia Express News

ភ្នំពេញ: ​សម្តេច​តេ​ជោ ហ៊ុន សែន នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​នៃ​ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រ​កម្ពុជា បានបង្ហាញ​នូវ​លិខិត​របស់​មេគណ​បក្សប្រឆាំង គឺ​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ដែល​បាន​សរសេរ​ទៅកាន់​មេដឹកនាំ​ប្រទេស​ចិន បញ្ជាក់​ពី​ជំហរ​នយោបាយ​ចិន​តែមួយ​។ ការលើកឡើង​បែបនេះ គឺ​នៅក្នុង​សន្និសីទកាសែត កាលពី​វេលា​ថ្ងៃត្រង់ ថ្ងៃទី​៤ ខែមេសា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ បន្ទាប់ពី​បញ្ចប់​កិច្ចប្រជុំ​កំពូល​អាស៊ាន នៅ​វិមាន​សន្តិភាព​។​

​នៅក្នុង​សន្និសីទកាសែត​នោះ សម្ដេច​តេ​ជោ​នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី បាន​មានប្រសាសន៍​បញ្ជាក់ថា កាលពី​ថ្ងៃទី​២៨ ខែមីនា នៅមុន​ដំណើរ​មក​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា របស់លោក ហ៊ូ ជិន​តាវ ប្រធានាធិបតី​ចិន លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ដែលជា​ប្រធាន​គណបក្ស​សមរង្ស៊ី បានធ្វើ​លិខិត​មួយ​ផ្ញើជូន​ប្រធានាធិបតី​ចិន ជា​ភាសា​ខ្មែរ និង​ជា​ភាសា​ចិន​ទៀតផង​។ សម្ដេច ហ៊ុន សែន បាន​ប្រាប់​នៅក្នុង​កិច្ចប្រជុំ​អាស៊ាន រាប់ទាំង​ប្រធានាធិបតី​ហ្វីលីពីន​ផងដែរ​។​

​សម្ដេច​តេ​ជោ បាន​លើក​ខ្លឹមសារ​នៅក្នុង​លិខិត​លោក សម រង្ស៊ី ថា “​ជាការ​តបស្នង​ដឹងគុណ ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ត្រូវតែ​គាំទ្រ​ពេញទំហឹង​ចំពោះ​ប្រទេស​ចិន ក្នុងការ​អនុវត្ត​នយោបាយ​ជាតិ និង​អន្តរជាតិ ឈរលើ​គោលការណ៍​ចិន​តែមួយ និង​ក្នុងការ​ការពារ​ដាច់ខាត​អធិបតេយ្យ​ជាតិ និង​បូរណភាព​ទឹកដី​របស់​ប្រទេស​ចិន​” ដែល​ចំណុច​នេះ វា​ស្របទៅនឹង​គោលជំហរ​របស់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​។​

Sea dispute still in limbo [-No CoC to show off?]

Delegates for the 20th ASEAN Summit gather at the Peace Palace yesterday for the Concluding Session. (Photo by Meng Kimlong)

Thursday, 05 April 2012
Vong Sokheng and Shane Worrell
The Phnom Penh Post

“There are so many different things ASEAN needs to focus on. Diverting attention away from them to a personal attack is fairly unprofessional.”

A code of Conduct governing the South China Sea remains only an “eventual” prospect, Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday, despite it dominating discussions during this week’s ASEAN Summit.

From the beginning of Monday’s Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the question of China’s potential involvement in the drafting of a COC for the disputed body of water hung in the air.

But as the 20th summit wrapped yesterday at the capital’s Peace Palace, the question still lingered, leaving ASEAN nations Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam a long way from resolving conflicting claims they, China and Taiwan have to those waters.

In his role as ASEAN chairman, Hun Sen yesterday denied division among the leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations, saying they had “reaffirmed” the importance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and would “intensify efforts” to fully implement it.

CoC-less Hun Xen follows Chinese order on the South China Sea dispute? That's a "prick-ly" question!

ASEAN delegation members attend the concluding session at the 20th ASEAN Summit at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Asean Wants Code of Conduct on South China Sea Before Talks

Wednesday, 04 April 2012
Reporters, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

Hun Sen said claims on the South China Sea should remain a regional issue between “Asean and China only.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen announced Wednesday that Asean leaders are not ready to sit down with China over the South China Sea until they have agreed on a code of conduct.

Hun Sen addressed reporters at the end of an Asean summit in Phnom Penh, where discussions on the South China Sea were rushed onto Wednesday’s agenda.

Hun Sen said claims on the South China Sea should remain a regional issue between “Asean and China only,” not an issue requiring outside interference.

Under Cambodia chairmanship, ASEAN has no CoC?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfDR4jjHtM

ASEAN has no CoC to face Giant China [-Pardon our French!]

Philippines' President Benigno Aquino III, right, talks with his Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario, left, during the retreat meeting at the 20th ASEAN Summit at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh Cambodia, April 4, 2012. (Photo: AP)

ASEAN Still Searching for Consensus on South China Sea Dispute

Wednesday, 04 April 2012
Irwin Loy, VOA | Phnom Penh

"This is not necessarily a neat sequential process isn't it. Of course, ASEAN … first and foremost, must have a solid consolidated position."

Southeast Asian leaders say they will rush to reach a unified position on resolving competing territorial claims in the South China Sea. During the final day of a key Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders summit in Phnom Penh, negotiators struggled to reach a consensus on how to approach the disputes with China.

The maritime dispute has become increasingly heated in the last year. China claims ownership of much of the South China Sea, along with four ASEAN states, including the Philippines.

On Wednesday, ASEAN chair Cambodia issued a statement saying that the ten member states have agreed to "intensify efforts" on agreeing to a code of conduct, or CoC, on the dispute.

The question that ASEAN leaders sought to answer this week, is whether China would be involved in those discussions before the group had reached a consensus.

"It must be resolved peacefully in accordance with a rules-based regime and the new element that we've introduced is that the drafting of the CoC and the inclusion of the major elements should actually made by ASEAN internally before China is invited," stated Albert Del Rosario, the Philippines' secretary of foreign affairs.