S/E Asian Leaders to Pressure Howard on Non-Aggression Treaty.

Asian ministers to urge Howard to sign treaty

Mr Howard has already discounted the likelihood of Australia signing the non-aggression pact, saying no-one from South-East Asia has raised the issue with him.
But a spokesman for the ASEAN foreign ministers says the treaty is important to creating a new security community in Asia.
He says South Korea and Russia will join the pact on Monday which will mean seven non-ASEAN states have signed up.

www.abc.net.au...

Which is why the outcome of Prime Minister John Howard's mission next week to win a regular place at the regional table for talks on trade and security is far from a certainty.

Mr Howard jets into Laos Monday to find the reclusive land-locked nation's communist government has the capital Vientiane under virtual curfew as it plays host to the leaders of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

www.smh.com.au...

There is no way John Howard will sign a 'Non-Aggression' treaty. If he did, dubya' would take him
off his christmas card list faster than you could say "Pine Gap".
So, Australia (being W' sheriff in S/E Asia) will be regarded as an aggressive country as opposed to
a defensive country.

Oh, and last time i looked at a map, Russia wasn't in south-east Asia...and was no longer a communist regime.

I hope this post is in the right forum. Maybe N.W.O.?

Sanc'.

Your up late tonight, sanctum

Winston is definately between a rock and a hard place with this one. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

Seems like there an awful lot of alliances being formed lately and Russia seems to be involved in all of them.

Seeing as Johnny has said that he probably won't sign up I'd say the descision has already been made but it's just not official yet. Maybe he has to get Dubya's input on the matter before he do anything either way?

If we don't sign I just hope it doesn't mean that he intends to get aggressive with our Asian neighbours in the near future.

Originally posted by Psychoses
Seeing as Johnny has said that he probably won't sign up I'd say the descision has already been made but it's just not official yet. Maybe he has to get Dubya's input on the matter before he do anything either way?

Psychoses, Already 'sorted' with W. At APEC.

Sanc'.

ASEAN invites many countries from outside SE Asia; China, Japan, South Korea, India and NZ.

Coalition has shown itself to be incompetent so far in foreign affairs. Howard will not sign the treaty, and why should he? I have a feeling that various SE Asian nations are going to push this issue for a while, and you are right, Australia is going to be seen as an agressive nation.

Here's THE AUSTRALIAN's look at the issue: www.theaustralian.news.com.au..." target="_blank" class="postlink">www.theaustralian.news.com.au... page/0,5744,11511806%255E2702,00.html

The ASEAN countries would prefer Australia join China, Japan and India, all of which have recently acceded to the 1976 pact, which binds contracting parties to settle regional disputes amicably.

Government:

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer acknowledged yesterday Australian governments had traditionally declined to accede to the security treaty because of Australia's alliance with the US.

Here's the oppostion:

Labor foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said Mr Howard's refusal to sign was an obstacle to the development of Australia's broader political, economic and security relationship with ASEAN.
"John Howard simply has to swallow his pride, admit that he got his doctrine of regional military pre-emption wrong, and get on with the business of advancing our core economic and security interests here in Southeast Asia," Mr Rudd said.
"And if Mr Howard thinks signing such a treaty is incompatible with being an ally of the United States, he would be asserting that Japan is not a good ally of the United States, given that Tokyo signed the treaty earlier this year."

Off the topic a little....but Indonesia seems to be democratising, so there seems atleast the possibilty of an Islamic Fundamentalist government

[edit on 27-11-2004 by Volkgeister]

[edit on 27-11-2004 by Volkgeister]

Volkgeister, i don't think your post is *off topic* at all.

Ha! Alexander Downer...what a joke. Johnny should just lock him in his office with his 'blankey',
his teddy bear and a thermos flask of hot milo.

Sanc'.

Downer not only does he lack charisma, but he is a complete imbecile.
What would you expect from a man born into the Adelaide equivalent of the aristocracy.

I just hope the PRC doesn't start to push for Australia to sign the treaty. Perhaps they could bargain [blackmail] with Australia, "either sign the treaty or no free trade". Then Howard might have to choose between his precious economy and national security

Originally posted by Volkgeister
Downer

not only does he lack charisma, but he is a complete imbecile.
What would you expect from a man born into the Adelaide equivalent of the aristocracy.

*way off topic*...ooh ooh, i know the answer i think. Can i phone a friend? (mummy)

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Sanc'.

Originally posted by sanctum

Originally posted by Volkgeister
Downer

not only does he lack charisma, but he is a complete imbecile.
What would you expect from a man born into the Adelaide equivalent of the aristocracy.

*way off topic*...ooh ooh, i know the answer i think. Can i phone a friend? (mummy)

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Sanc'.

Whether or not you support Labor, you can't help feeling that Australia would be better off with Kevin Rudd, and not Downer.

It's too early to stay on topic, so I think we can be forgiven for laying into Downer.