Australia signed a peace treaty with its Southeast Asian neighbors yesterday and rejected what it called puerile comments about it being the US' deputy sheriff in the region.
"I think even you could move beyond the puerile allegations of deputy sheriff," Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer snapped at a reporter when asked about the role often ascribed to Australia as a proxy for Washington in the region.
Downer was speaking at a news conference in the Malaysian capital moments before he signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, which calls for signatories not to interfere in each other's internal affairs.
The treaty was born within the 10-member ASEAN, which made signing the pact a condition for entry into next week's inaugural East Asian summit.
Australia hesitated to sign the treaty, saying it might conflict with its existing security arrangements with the US, but reconsidered when it became clear that Canberra would not be invited to the summit without its signature.
"Being part of the East Asia summit, that's a quid pro quo we are happy to live with," Downer said, adding that Australia had received guarantees from ASEAN that its signature on the treaty would not disturb its existing treaty arrangements.
Australia's entry into the East Asia summit, along with ASEAN states and Japan, China, South Korea, India and New Zealand, follows the 2003 retirement of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who opposed its membership in Asian forum.
Mahathir routinely calls Australia the deputy sheriff of Washington in Asia. Last Wednesday he said that he felt the inclusion of Australia and New Zealand had subverted the development of a genuinely Asian forum.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration, however, has struck a much more welcoming tone.
"I think the fact that they have subscribed to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation shows that geopolitically and geoeconomically they want to be part of this region and to participate and contribute. We welcome this," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters yesterday.
Russia also moved closer to getting full membership in the East Asia Summit yesterday by signing an economic cooperation accord.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hailed the pact as progress in creating substantive relations with the ASEAN.
Russia was refused full membership at next week's inaugural East Asia Summit because ASEAN was split over its application.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (
"China, a developing country, will keep to its peaceful influence. China is insisting on a path of peaceful development," he said.
"We will not be threatening or replacing anyone," he told reporters. "We'll help as much as possible to establish a harmonious world. In that way, everyone is happy."
Li dismissed fears that China was harboring ambitions to be dominant in the region, replacing the influence of the US and Japan.
"We have lots of issues at home. We are focusing... on improving the living of the 1.3 billion Chinese people," Li said.
"We want to see peace across the world so we can focus our energy on developing our economy," he said.
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