S1E99: "More of the same not good enough for Asean to remain relevant, says former Indonesian Foreign Minister: Asian Insider
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Asean needs strong leadership in a fast moving world, or risks losing relevance, warns former top diplomat Marty Natalegawa, citing drifting policy on Myanmar.
\\nSynopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times\' US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh presents an Asian perspective of the biggest global talking points with expert guests.
\\nFormer Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, currently a Distinguished Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute, sees a fraying of Asean\'s common response to developments in Myanmar.\\xa0
\\nAsean has been skilled in employing adept and calibrated formal and informal diplomacy, and both open and quiet diplomacy, to obtain certain outcomes, but currently Asean\'s approach has become predictable. Indonesia, Asean\\u2019s current chair, must exercise leadership and vision while maintaining\\xa0 ASEAN unity, the former top regional diplomat says. Yet, Asean is not doing much more than exercising its convening power.\\xa0
\\nThe United States must understand that Asean countries cherish and value their own autonomy.\\xa0 Meanwhile the international geopolitical environment is seeing the diminution of diplomacy, and weaponisation of issues in the public goods domain - like semiconductors, technology, public health and climate. Asean cannot afford to be complacent.\\xa0
\\nHighlights (click/tap above):
\\n03:20 Asean\\u2019s gains must be constantly earned, we can\\u2019t be complacent
\\n04:30 There really hasn\\u2019t been any demonstration of Asean\\u2019s leadership or centrality beyond convening power
\\n06:50 There is clearly a recognition that South East Asia is important, but that does not automatically translate into recognition of Asean\\u2019s importance.
\\n07:30 It is important for a country like the United States to recognize that the diversity within Asean is not a design fault but a feature \\u2013 and not to try to force uniformity of foreign policy on the region
\\n08:45 Asean cherishes and values its autonomy
\\n10:12 Diplomacy as statecraft is fraying. Those who speak on behalf of dialogue and negotiation and engagement tend to be accused of pursuing appeasement
\\n11:35 There is a weaponisation of some of the public goods domain that ought to be the very definition of the need for cooperative partnership \\u2013 technology, cyber, semiconductors, health.
\\n15:45 Things have not been made easier by the lack of unity among Asean member states on Myanmar
\\n19:00 There is chairmanship (of Asean) and there is leadership.\\xa0
\\nProduced by: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa\\u2019izah Sani
\\nEdited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa\\u2019izah Sani
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