Southeast Asia divided on war, looks to post-Saddam world

6.00pm

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia - Southeast Asian nations, split over war against Iraq, met today to discuss common ways of averting militant attacks in their region and co-operation after a likely US victory.

Foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) cut short by a day a two-day annual retreat at a secluded resort in Malaysia's Sabah state to fly home as President George W. Bush's 48-hour ultimatum to Iraq expires.

"We are not trying to find a consensus," said Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar as he arrived for the day-long retreat on Borneo island.

The aim of the meeting was to compare positions on Iraq as well as North Korea and to show support for the United Nations process, he said.

Asean members range from Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, to tiny communist Laos and the prosperous city state of Singapore, and some of their positions vary greatly.

"It is not our intention to talk about a common position on Iraq," said Singapore Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar, whose country's stand has been among the closest in the region to that of the United States.

"What is important is that we are here to forge a common position... on what will be the implications of the war on the global economy," said Jayakumar.

The countries of Asean, frequently divided by their very different priorities and national interests, will tread a delicate path over war in Iraq to maintain ties with major trading partner the United States without alienating their large Muslim populations, senior officials said.

Further complicating their position are concerns over the potential for more deadly attacks by Islamic militants and the impact of high oil prices.

"What will be the implications of a war that could be exploited by terrorists and by extremists in the region?" said Jayakumar.

Last October's Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, most of them Western revellers, prompted countries in the region to look at their security and to work to win the hearts and minds of their people away from militancy, officials said.

Differences between the neighbours over war were underscored by Malaysia and Singapore.

"This is a question of principle," said Syed Hamid. "This is not a question of support for Iraq or of being anti-American. We want to look at principles and the UN process."

However, his Singaporean counterpart took a position that was likely to be echoed by such members as the Philippines, whose foreign minister pulled out of the meeting at the last minute.

"Does it serve the interests of the international community and does it serve the interests of international stability for there to be inaction?" Jayakumar said. "Or is it better that prompt and immediate action be taken for the disarmament of Iraq?"

While Asean had no plans for a consensus and expected its statements to be interpreted by the United States as playing to huge Muslim domestic audiences, some members were likely to offer quiet support, such as helping with passage of personnel, ships and aircraft.

Indonesia and mostly Muslim Malaysia are firmly against any US attack on Iraq. They are worried anger among their people may lead to more militancy in a region where Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network has already established ties with local groups and is suspected of plotting the Bali bombings.

Washington can count on greater support from staunch allies Singapore and the Philippines.

The other Asean members are Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Home to 250 million Muslims, one of the largest concentrations of Muslims in the world, Asean nations will be busy keeping control of any demonstrations that erupt against war in Iraq, especially after Islamic prayers on Friday, ministers said.

Keeping control over potential demonstrations and preventing their peoples from seeing the war as the United States versus Islam was clearly a priority for Asean nations.

"This is not a problem of Muslims, or a problem of anti-Americanism; it is wanting peace. Is it anti-American to want peace?" said Syed Hamid late on Tuesday.

Terrorism and Iraq were not the only issues to be discussed at the annual retreat. High on the agenda is North Korea, bracketed by US President George W. Bush with Iraq and Iran in an "axis of evil".

Asean members are eager to use their Regional Forum security meeting in June, attended by North Korea and the United States, as an opportunity to bring the two together while finessing Pyongyang's demand for bilateral talks to resolve the nuclear crisis and US insistence on a multilateral meeting.

"Iraq and North Korea are paramount," said Syed Hamid.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq