Speech
Speech by the Hon Alexander Downer, MP, Minister for Foreign
Affairs,
at the 38th Munich Conference on Security Policy
Munich, 3 February 2002.
(Check Against Delivery)
Security Policy in the Asia-Pacific - New Challenges, Enduring Interests
Introduction
The theme of this session is “Global Security: New Challenges, New
Strategies”, but with your permission, I would like to focus my remarks
on the Asia-Pacific region.
I think most would agree that international terrorism has emerged
as the most immediate threat to global security and prosperity. The
tremendous success of the military campaign in Afghanistan has degraded
the al-Qa’eda network and put its leadership on the run. But the
threat has not passed.
I would therefore like to begin by offering some comments on the
challenge international terrorism presents for the Asia-Pacific region,
and how the region has responded to that challenge. I shall then
talk about some of the other fundamental security challenges that
persist in our region, which have not disappeared with the emergence
of terrorism as a critical and immediate threat, and about the enduring
interests Australia - & the other countries of the Asia-Pacific
– have in the stability of our region.
The challenge of international terrorism in the Asia-Pacific
In the wake of the 11 September attacks, there has been some media
commentary about the potential for the Asia-Pacific, and South East
Asia in particular, to become a new hub or breeding ground for international
terrorist networks such as al Qa’eda, particularly as these networks
have come under pressure elsewhere. Those who put this view usually
point to the large Muslim populations in Southeast Asia, economic
disparities among some countries in the region, the existence of militant
organisations, and to uneven law enforcement capacities.
The risk of international terrorists operating, and attacking targets,
in our region is a very real one. This was demonstrated recently
by the arrests in Singapore of members of the Jemaah Islamiyah group
for terrorism-related activities, and evidence (including from a video
tape later discovered in Afghanistan) that the group planned to bomb
western diplomatic missions - including Australia’s - and other targets. Singapore’s preliminary investigations have revealed that a number
of those arrested had trained with al-Qa’eda in Afghanistan.
It is of course difficult to know the extent to which international
terrorist networks have penetrated our region. By their very nature
such groups operate in a clandestine manner. The emergence of Jemaah
Islamiyah, which came to light after the arrests in Singapore, is
a case in point. It is only in recent months, following Singapore’s
discoveries, that the extent of its reach is becoming clear.
But, while such links are of real concern, it is important that we
not overstate the influence of radical Islam in Southeast Asia – most
militant Muslim groups in Southeast Asia are essentially home-grown
- and their grievances and objectives are local in character. The
overwhelming majority of Muslims in the region were appalled by the
September 11 attack and calls by some radical groups for a holy war
against the West fell largely on deaf ears.
That said, the countries of the region must remain alert to the possibility
that international terrorist networks will try to use disaffected
individuals and groups in the region to gain support for terrorist
actions in pursuit of a broader global agenda. After all, it only
takes a small number of people to carry out terrorist attacks – with
devastating consequences.
International terrorist networks present a particular challenge for
those countries in the region which have limited capabilities in areas
such as law enforcement, intelligence and border control. The risk
is that terrorists will see some countries, or regions within countries,
as attractive places to plan and operate with low risk of detection. But no state, no matter how sophisticated its controls, is immune
– as the arrests in Singapore illustrate.
How is the region responding to the new challenge?
The events of 11 September and the continuing threat from international
terrorism have had a profound effect on security thinking in the Asia-Pacific
region. Nearly all countries in the region, in some way or another,
have lent their support to the global coalition against terrorism.
Many countries have offered practical assistance to the United States
in its military campaign in Afghanistan. The contributions of Japan
and Russia are particularly noteworthy, signaling in the case of
Japan a new, more active security role, and in the case of Russia
a new milestone in strategic cooperation with the United States and
other coalition partners.
For its part, Australia invoked our 50-year old security treaty with
the United States for the first time. Article IV of the treaty states
that “Each Party recognises that an armed attack…on any of the Parties
would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it
would act to meet the common danger…” Australia has made a substantive
military commitment to the war against terrorism including through
a special forces detachment on the ground in Afghanistan.
The region has also offered important diplomatic support for the
war against terrorism and has pledged to cooperate in a range of areas
to confront the threat of terrorism.
At the APEC Leaders Meeting in Shanghai in October, leaders of the
Asia-Pacific unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks and resolved
to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation, including through financial
measures to prevent the flow of funds to terrorist groups.
ASEAN leaders issued a similar statement at their summit in Brunei
in November.
It is also worth noting that the Chairman of the ASEAN Regional Forum,
the only region-wide body devoted to security issues, released a statement
on the terrorist attacks on behalf of participating states, describing
the acts as an attack against civilization itself and an assault on
all of us. Although it was in some ways a modest statement, with
little beyond a commitment for the Forum to deliberate further on
ways and means to cooperate in the fight against terrorism, the fact
of the statement itself was significant. It was the first time the
ASEAN Regional Forum, as an organisation, has made a statement of
this sort in response to a security crisis.
We think the ASEAN Regional Forum can and should do more. I am encouraged
that Forum officials subsequently agreed to a series of activities
aimed at building the counter-terrorism capabilities of the Forum’s
members. To this end, two anti-terrorism related seminars are already
planned, one in Thailand, the other in the United States.
The challenge, as always, is to translate words into action. It
is therefore pleasing to note, for example, that the Philippines,
Indonesia and Malaysia are discussing a trilateral anti-terrorism
initiative (focusing on border control and information exchange). Another example of practical cooperation is the information exchange
that has resulted in further arrests and investigations in the Philippines
and Indonesia, following the arrests of suspected terrorists in Singapore
and Malaysia.
It must be acknowledged that there are different views in the region
about the need for national governments and the international community
as a whole to address what sometimes referred to as the “root causes
of terrorism”. This argument has sometimes been linked to a call
for the US in particular and the West in general to review its approach
towards the Middle East and to issues of dispossession, disadvantage
and development. But I think what is clear from the regional response
to terrorism, is that there is overwhelming consensus in the Asia-Pacific
that there can be no excuse for resorting to terror.
The war against terrorism has provided the impetus for intensified
efforts across the region (in North, South and Southeast Asia) against
groups and individuals thought to be part of terrorist networks. It is up to governments concerned to ensure that their actions are
well-founded responses to real terrorist threats, and that the war
on terrorism does not become an excuse to repress opposition and minority
groups operating within the bounds of the law. But it is also essential
that governments crack down on terrorist cells and networks where
they exist. In some cases this is a difficult judgment, and what
it underlines is the need for good intelligence, investigation and
monitoring capabilities, and for greater regional and international
cooperation.
In the Philippines, we have seen the Arroyo Administration intensify
its efforts against the Abu Sayyaf, which has long used terror methods
and is believed to have had contacts with al Qa’eda. The United
States has committed a significant number of military personnel to
the Philippines for training exercises and to advise and support the
Armed Forces of the Philippines in their fight against the Abu Sayyaf. The important point here is that two regional states are working closely
together to address a real security threat. It is a good example
of how new strategies are being pursued to counter the challenge
of international terrorism and persistent security issues in the region.
Other challenges, and enduring interests
Of course, the emergence of international terrorism as an immediate
threat to global and regional security, does not make more traditional
security challenges go away. But the unprecedented level of international
cooperation in the fight against terrorism does provide an important
opportunity to tackle the range of other issues we face in the region. I should like to touch on some of these in the time left.
Australia, like other countries in the region, continues to have
a very strong interest in the avoidance of destabilizing strategic
competition between the region’s major powers. In this regard, we
welcome the marked improvement in relations between the United States,
Russia, China and India, which has flowed from their common interest
in fighting terrorism. Sustaining these improved relations will very
significantly strengthen the global and regional security outlook.
We continue to regard US strategic engagement as vital to the stability
of the Asia Pacific region. The US presence, and US alliances in
the region, lessen the risk of intensified strategic rivalries and
arms build-ups in the region. We therefore welcomed the clear statement
in last year’s Quadrennial Defence Review that the United States would
retain its commitment to maintaining regional balances, assuring allies
and friends in the region.
As China emerges as a regional power, Australia welcomes its integration
as a responsible player in global and regional affairs. How China
manages its emergence, and how others respond, remains one of the
fundamental security issues for the region as a whole. Peaceful management
of the Taiwan issue is particularly important, and we urge both sides
to exercise restraint, and to find opportunities for dialogue.
Australia also welcomes the steps Japan has taken to make a more
active contribution to global and regional security at a pace comfortable
to itself and others. We see Japan’s recent adoption of the Anti-Terrorism
Special Measures law and its deployment of naval vessels in support
of the coalition against terrorism in the Indian Ocean as important
steps towards Japan playing a larger role on security issues. Similarly,
we welcome Japan’s planned deployment of peacekeepers to East Timor.
Another enduring interest for Australia is fostering the stability,
integrity and cohesion of our immediate neighborhood, which we share
with Indonesia, New Zealand, PNG, East Timor and the island countries
of the Southwest Pacific. We would be concerned about internal challenges
that threatened the stability or cohesion of any of these countries,
which could also create conditions for terrorist groups to take root. We continue to encourage Indonesia to find political solutions to
some difficult regional and sectarian issues. Micro-states such as
East Timor and the Solomon Islands will continue to demand a commitment
from the international community to ensure their long term viability.
The increased threat posed by terrorism has also given even greater
importance and priority to the region’s enduring interest in preventing
the spread of weapons of mass destruction in the Asia-Pacific and
elsewhere. I won’t mention now all Australia’s and the region’s
efforts in this regard, but will note that Australia is pleased to
be closely involved, as Chair of the IAEA Board of Governors, in examining
ways to counter the threat of nuclear terrorism.
The recent anthrax attacks in the United States have reminded us
also that chemical and biological weapons can wreak considerable social
and economic chaos even when they cause comparatively few deaths. Australia believes that a multi-layered approach to this heightened
challenge is essential. We have to make sure that the chemical and
biological weapons conventions work as effectively as possible. We
all need to have stringent export controls in place to ensure that
dual use items are not diverted into state-run or terrorist CBW programs. Export controls are a legitimate response to the challenges posed
by WMD proliferation; concerned countries need to take on the argument
that these are tools to keep developing countries underdeveloped.
Conclusion
In conclusion, let me reiterate that there are both new and long-running
security issues in the region that demand our attention. Australia
is encouraged by the manner in which states from every part of the
Asia-Pacific region have joined together, each in their own way, to
denounce and combat terrorism. It seems to me that the terrorism
crisis the world faces today has given many countries a willingness
to do things differently – to cooperate with previously unlikely partners,
to be open to new strategies, and to be resolute in action.
We therefore see cause for some optimism about the prospects for
states in the region dealing with this, and the other security challenges,
that confront them. In doing so, they can contribute not only to
the security of the Asia-Pacific region, but also, as recent tragic
events have highlighted, to the security and prosperity of an ever
more interconnected globe
This page last modified:
Friday, 19-Jul-2002 15:57:42 EST
Local Date:
Sunday, 07-Sep-2008 16:03:17 EST
