PCDS letter to the Secretary General and all Foreign Ministers attending the 13th Annual ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in July 2006

Pacific Campaign for Disarmament and Security

May 8, 2006

HE ONG Keng Yong
Secretary-General of ASEAN
70 A, Jalan Sisingamangaraja
PO Box 2072
Jakarta, INDONESIA

Re: 13th Annual ASEAN Regional Forum -- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dear Sir:

We are writing to you on behalf of the Pacific Campaign for Disarmament and Security (PCDS). PCDS is a research, information, and support network that has worked for peace in the Asia-Pacific region since 1985. We are sending this letter to foreign ministers of all states and groups of states who will be attending the 13th Annual ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As you are aware from our previous correspondence, PCDS has closely followed the development of the ARF since its inception.

In previous letters to you, we have consistently raised the subject of a Northeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (NEA-NWFZ) as we believe the ARF could promote this initiative and thereby, have significant influence on peace and security in Northeast Asia. In 2004, we enclosed a briefing paper on the subject and in 2005, we enclosed a copy of an actual Model Treaty on the Northeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (Draft 4), developed by NGOs. We again wish to bring this important issue to your attention by enclosing a copy of the CANCAPS Bulletin (Canadian Consortium on Asia-Pacific Security) [No. 47 - November 2005] which includes an article by PCDS on page 3 -- "A Northeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone."

The ARF clearly appreciates the value of such instruments as evidenced by its most recent ARF Chairman's Statement, Vietiane, 29 July 2005 that reads: "The Ministers reaffirmed their support for the concept of internationally recognized nuclear-weans-free zones (NWFZs) established on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among States in the region concerned and emphasized the contribution of such zones to enhancing global and regional peace and security."

The recommendations contained in our letter of last year remain highly relevant and we again request your consideration of the following:

ARF establish an Inter-Sessional Group (ISG) on a Cooperative Security Framework in Northeast Asia: ARF could take greater advantage of its existing mechanisms in order to contribute to the resolution of the impasse on the Korean Peninsula and ensure greater stability in NEA generally. A NEA-NWFZ could be an important aspect of the work of this ISG.

ARF Establish a Track II Study Group for the Application of Preventive Diplomacy (PD) to Northeast Asia: We believe that the issue of the peace and security of Northeast Asia will not be solved by addressing problems of the Korean Peninsula alone. At minimum, relations among the Peninsula, Japan and China require consideration in the context of the ARF's work on preventive diplomacy. We note that the ARF's founders conceived PD as being the second of ARF's three major stages of evolution. We suggest that the ARF organize a Track II Study Group with participation of local NGOs in order to examine the potential application of PD to the peace and security of Northeast Asia.

Has the ARF considered these recommendations? If not, why not? What other initiatives has the ARF taken relative to the situation in NE Asia? Although we appreciate the efforts the ARF has made in bringing parties together at the sidelines of the ARF, we recommend that the ARF facilitate mechanisms for more sustained efforts.

We are grateful for your attention to our concerns and we look forward to your reply. We wish you a productive and substantive thirteenth session of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

In Peace,

Hiromichi Umebayashi, International Coordinator

Patricia Willis, Resource Coordinator

Pacific Campaign for Disarmament and Security