Asean leaders tackle Rohingya crisis, sea dispute

SYDNEY: Australia and its Asean neighbours vowed to boost defence ties while stressing the importance of nonmilitarisation in the disputed South China Sea yesterday at a summit where the “complex” Rohingya crisis took centre stage.

Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, at the three-day meeting in Sydney, also agreed to work more closely to tackle the growing menace of violent extremism and radicalisation.

But while a final communique noted a resolve to “protect the human rights of our peoples”, it failed to condemn member state Myanmar’s treatment of the Muslimminority Rohingya.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled the troubled Rakhine state for Bangladesh since authorities launched a brutal crackdown six months ago that the UN has called “ethnic cleansing”.

Myanmar, whose de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was in Sydney, has vehemently denied the allegations.

“We discussed the situation in Rakhine at considerable length today,” Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said at a closing press conference.

“Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the matter comprehensively, at some considerable length herself,” he said.

“It’s a very complex problem. Everyone seeks to end the suffering that has been occasioned by the events, the conflict.”

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said the crisis was “a concern for all Asean countries, and yet Asean is not able to intervene to force an outcome”.

Tensions in the South China Sea remain a big worry for regional leaders, as Beijing continues to build artificial islands capable of hosting military installations – much to the chagrin of other claimants to the area.

Vietnam remains the most vocal in the dispute with the Philippines backing off under China-friendly President Rodrigo Duterte. Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims.

Canberra and Asean reaffirmed “the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety and security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the region”, without naming Beijing.

The leaders added they wanted to see an “early conclusion of an effective code of conduct in the South China Sea”. – AFP