Rethinking New Zealand's Relationship With Asean

Since New Zealand departed from the Australia-New Zealand-United States security framework (Anzus) in the 1980s, New Zealand foreign policy has played a useful role on the global stage, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. New Zealand's support of rule-based international order and multiculturalism gives it an excellent identity in the world, evidenced by its role in the UN-led peacekeeping and peacemaking processes in Cambodia and East Timor since the end of cold war.

However, with occasional exceptions like these, New Zealand has played a relatively minor role in term of democracy, peacekeeping and promoting human rights in a region which is still dominated by military and authoritarian regimes. In the Aceh and Sri Lanka tragedies, Finland and Norway have acted as mediators instead of Australia or New Zealand. This country continues to provide development aid to Burma/Myanmar, where a military junta has ruled since 1988.

There are opportunities to be a much more pro-active force for democracy and human rights in our region. New Zealand could campaign in regional forums to reduce the arms race, abolish land-mines, ban child-soldiers and promote denuclearisation in line with the Treaty of Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN-1971) and the Asean Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ-1995). Both Asean and New Zealand have a principle of non-nuclear security that they should promulgate in wider forums such as Asean + 3 (with China, Japan and South Korea) and the newly established East Asia Summit.

On May 16, the Burmese military regime announced a deal with Russia to build a nuclear research reactor. As a dialogue partner of Asean, New Zealand has a chance to lobby against a nuclear reactor in a country where no transparency, accountability, free monitoring mechanisms or systemic security procedures exist.

Within the framework of New Zealand's development aid to Asean, Burmese democracy and human rights advocates also deserve some human resource development and educational assistance, as the struggle of the Burmese democracy movement is based on Gandhism and Non-violence. It is a time for New Zealand to participate in the movement for Burmese democratisation.

Maintaining New Zealand's reputation for human rights, the seven New Zealand ambassadors to Asean nations should attend seminars, conferences, forums and universities throughout Asean. Setting an ethical and moral responsibility approach towards Asean, New Zealand should make democracy and human rights a condition of overseas development assistance, especially for the children and women of Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

There are untapped economic opportunities in Asean for New Zealand, particularly in tourism and education. Most middle-class students in the region cannot afford to study in England or the US because of current security policies arising from George Bush's war on terrorism, the high cost of living and expensive education fees. Exporting soft-power to Asean would get immeasurable benefits and might cure the current account deficit.

This country should speed up negotiations to form a free trade agreement with Asean as a whole rather than more deals with individual nations such as the two negotiated so far with Singapore and Thailand. In terms of "dual-track diplomacy", New Zealand can share the value and expertise of 'All Black Rugby Culture', a New Zealand identity within the Asean dialogue.

In security, too, New Zealand needs to strategically foster multilateral approaches. To achieve collective security in the region, New Zealand must expand the Five Power Defence Agreement with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Britain to all members of Asean. As a result, the New Zealand themes of collective security and international order would play a bigger role in the region. In term of security and terrorism in Asean, there is a low or no threat to New Zealanders because of this country's intelligent approach to the global war on terrorism.

For another century, New Zealand interest and diplomacy will centre on Asia via Asean. By spearheading development aid with soft-power, democracy and human rights, either Labour or National could further strengthen New Zealand's reputation in the region without shutting the doors to millions of Asian consumers.

Naing Ko Ko is the secretary of the international campaign deparment of democratic Federation of Trade Unions of Burma, now studying international relations at the University of Auckland.

© Scoop Media