SETA CONFERENCE
By
Kim Beng Phar
Visiting Fellow, Waseda University, Organization of Asian Studies
Date: August 27, 2007 Monday
Time: 17.00 – 19.00
Venue: SETA Foundation, Ankara
Introduction: In December 2005, the first East Asian Summit (EAS) was convened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Although this event was held back-to-back with the ASEAN Summit and ASEAN Plus 3 Summit—hence reducing the historical significance of EAS as a stand alone diplomatic event—its immediate strategic importance was not lost on various countries.
Australia, New Zealand, Russia and India all claimed their full membership in EAS; this after having acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). TAC among others encouraged countries that want to be part of East Asia to respect the importance of friendly relations without the recourse to war and the use of force in the resolution of intra-mural conflicts.
President Vladimir Putin, in particular, made the strongest bid to have Russia included in East Asia. To shore up Russia’s ‘asian-ness’, he brought a contingent of mayors and governors from Russian Far East, including the mayor of Vladivostok, a port that verges on North Pacific to claim its place in EAS. Even France has acceded to the TAC in January 2007 in order to be part of EAS.
If Russia, which is an increasingly important strategic partner of Turkey, is able to assert its membership in EAS, together with France, shouldn’t Turkey which straddles between the European and the Asian continent writ large, also do the same? In other words, shouldn’t Turkey’s foreign policy, which is based on strategic depth and linking continents and civilizations together, also consider being a part of EAS?
Turkey must answer positively and affirmatively on all counts, because EAS is not a geographical expression or concept. Rather, EAS is a strategic reality and manifestation, as East Asia is now comprised of some of the most dynamic economies and militarily powerful countries in the world. The most notable of which are: China, South Korea, Japan, plus all the ten member states of ASEAN i.e. the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. But why should Turkey be part of the EAS?
To begin with, becoming a member of EAS carries no cost to what Turkey triesto achieve. Put differently, Turkey does not have to abandon its goal of being part of Europe by joining EAS. Indeed, by becoming a member of EAS, Turkey can best play the role of a “continental connector” between Europe and Asia in full.
Secondly, China, Japan, and South Korea are becoming more important economically and strategically. Their economies are also becoming more interdependent. Together, the control or dominate 80 % of the trade in East Asia. By being in EAS, Turkey can understand how these three countries behave or plan their Asian strategy in East Asia.
Thirdly, the heavy proportion of their trade, coupled with their singular commitment to participate actively in EAS, is making Asia more coherent. The role of leading EAS towards the formation of an East Asian Community has been given to ASEAN, which in turn reduces the intra-sub systemic rivalry and leadership between China, Japan and South Korea. With ASEAN at the driving seat, East Asian can become more unified even as different countries struggle with various contentious issues. Contemporary Turkish foreign policy, based on the doctrine of strategic depth, can both contribute and learn from this “deepening and widening process” in East Asia.
Finally, the member states of ASEAN, through their own maturity, have succeeded at creating a style of diplomacy that is non intrusive, agreeable, and reassuring. Turkey can point to this success when ever Ankara wants the Middle East or Central Asia to have more security and political dialogues. This can help Turkey convince Middle East and Central Asia, even Eurasia, to approach issues on a win-win basis.
Indeed, at this stage, East Asia is trading more and more with each other. The level of intra regi