Australia's Asia Pacific community idea under a cloud

Updated August 21, 2008 20:07:49

Ever since Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd floated the idea of an Asia-Pacific community two months ago the concept has been largely derided. Some critics are now predicting that Kevin Rudd will quietly drop the idea there is still backing for it within government.

Presenter: Michael Cavanagh
Speaker: Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith; Dr Robert Ayson, Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre.

CAVANAGH: When you hear phrases like "half-baked" a "stunt" and that "it is dead in the water" not just coming from political opponents but from the people that you need to have on your side it would be fair to think that an idea in this case the Australia Pacific Community is headed for oblivion.

While some of the statements may have been picked up by Mr Rudd's domestic political opponents they are based on comments coming from throughout the region.

One of the most used criticism is just what does the proposal mean and how will it work.

Mr Rudd and his Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith keep on using the word architecture and that the target is that by 2020 the key players will be able to sit down together and talk about both economics and strategic matters.

Stephen Smith says while there are organisations already in the region the shift in power and influence requires something more.

SMITH: With ASEAN, for example, we started off in the mid-1960s with a half a dozen nations. I don't think anyone then envisaged that we'd see with ASEAN what we see today; the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, Australia and other nations being dialogue partners.

These things evolve and the Prime Minister and I have both made it clear that one of two things will occur. What we see as a strategic need will evolve from some of the existing architecture. It might be APEC, it might be ASEAN-related, or there'll be a new piece of architecture. But the key point is, and I made this point tonight, we are in a new era.

CAVANAGH: However as the dynamics of the region change, some smaller nations that presently have a say in the bodies already operating are fearful their voice could no longer be heard.

Dr Robert Ayson from the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre says the development of China and India and the changing role of Japan could see the region's north along with the U.S driving the agenda.

AYSON: The decisions will be made by the North Asian powers and the US and increasingly they will be seen as just passengers and so they keep asking for confirmation that they really are in the driver's seat of the architecture they keep talking about the importance of ASEAN they keep talking about the importance of the ASEAN regional forum and of the mechanisms that they see themselves that they see themselves at the centre at.

CAVANAGH: A number of analysts also note that the possible reunification of the Korean Peninsula would also have a major effect on China, the U.S and Japan and therefore the rest of the region and that India as one of the other emerging powers is not a member of APEC but will increasingly enjoy influence.

Stephen Smith says another factor is that presently some of the bodies don't allow for other major differences.

SMITH : What it needs to do is to include all the key players in the region where they can have a conversation on both strategic matters, security and strategic matters, and also on economic and investment matters. So all of the pieces of architecture, whether it's APEC, whether it's ASEAN itself, whether it's the East Asian Summit, they all play very good roles and we support that continuing activity. But either out of those by evolution or the creation of a new piece of architecture, we will find something which meets the emerging challenges."

Dr Ayson says a new body won't necessarily solve the problem.

AYSON: There re issues in the region that are still difficult and sensitive, there are issues that some of the major powers are not necessarily going to want to have dealt with others in it in a multi-lateral framework. For example some of the territorial issues between say Japan and South Korea, between China and Japan those sorts of things are not necessarily going to be easily open up. China will be reluctant is always reluctant for China/Taiwan issues discussed so there are sensitive issues."

CAVANAGH: Prime Minister Rudd has appointed a former senior diplomat Richard Woolcott to travel the region selling the plan he will have his work cut out if he is to revive an idea that in some quarters is viewed as dead before it even drew breath.