Indonesia Pushes for Nuclear-Weapon Free Southeast Asia

Jakarta Globe, November 17, 2011

Indonesian President and the chairman of ASEAN Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
 delivering his speech during the opening ceremony of the 19th ASEAN Summit
in Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center in Nusa Dua on Thursday. (JG Photo/J.P. Christo)     

        

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Nusa Dua, Bali. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono used his opening speech at the Asean Summit in Bali on Friday to urge nuclear-weapon states the United States, France, China, Russian and the United Kingdom to immediately ratify the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone treaty.

19th ASEAN SUMMIT

Yudhoyono, addressing leaders from the 10 Asean-member states, none of which posses nuclear weapons, to push for ratification of the treaty, which he referred to by its acronym, SEANWFZ.

The Philippines was the last Asean-member state to sign the treaty, also referred to as the Bangkok Treaty, in 2001, though the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are yet to do so.

The treaty includes a protocol calling on China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States to respect the protocol and not aid any of the signatories in their attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.

Yudhoyono said the agreement would secure peace and stability in Southeast Asia.

Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, director for international security and disarmament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the treaty was not legally binding without the signatures of the five nuclear powers.

“The important element is the commitment of the countries that possess nuclear weapons not to use them to threaten or attack Asean nations,” he said.

United States President Barack Obama, who is expected to arrive at the summit tonight, vowed on Thursday to expand US influence in the Asia-Pacific region and “project power and deter threats to peace.”

His comments came several hours after announcing he would send military aircraft and up to 2,500 Marines to northern Australia for a training hub to help allies and protect American interests across Asia. He declared the US is not afraid of China, by far the biggest and most powerful country in the region.

Antara/JG/AP