ASEAN charter & exaggerated superpowers

“Don’t taser me maynnnnn!!”
-John Kerry’s ’supporter’
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For the moment:
Do What I Gotta Do-John Legend

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*Dear readers, if I have gotten my facts wrong in what you’re about to read, please correct me.
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This morning, I attended the 2nd International Conference on Southeast Asia at University of Malaya. ‘Rethinking Regionalism.’ I have Irene to thank for extending the invitation.
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2 weeks ago the ASEAN Charter was signed by member states in Singapore. Unlike the UN, NATO or EU, the ASEAN Charter is somewhat passive and not imposing. From what I’ve discovered, it has quite a strict policy on non-interference by one member state or the group, upon another member state.
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The Philippines warned its friends that it would not ratify it considering Myanmars unrest. Speculation is that this is actually the work of the puppet master, US.
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The credibility of ASEAN and its Charter has been discussed at length by those within the region and outside. Part of the recipe, is Philippines objection to Myanmar’s internal affairs. Now even by virtue of the UN Charter, each state reserves the right to handle and administer its internal affairs by itself. For a foreign state or organization to intervene in the affairs of a (non) ‘troubled’ state would be a breach of its sovereignty.
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What happens in a castle, is no business of a neighbouring King.
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However in severe circumstance, neighbours, near and far, may be compelled or have a duty to intervene.
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From what I gather, Philippines is not saying that they should intervene in Myanmar affairs so as to sort out the present situation, but Arroyo did publicly say that her state will not ratify the ASEAN Charter if things in Myanmar don’t change.
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Here’s the big catch. Due to its non-imposing nature, the ASEAN Charter will not come into force or effect until all states have ratify it. So until that time comes, to a significant extent, the Charter is a piece of paper with 10 signatures.
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Philippines practices a presidential democratic system, like the US. Not parliamentary like Malaysia and the UK. In a presidential system, the president is separated from the Senate. And the president has to convince the Senate, in this context, to ratify the Charter. Meaning, it is not really Arroyo’s choice. But on the logic, it is rather realistic. For the Senate to ratify it, would mean that they condone or approve, to any extent, the present Myanmar administration. And if the Philippines government or the government of any other member states is seen to be doing so, then their credibility and ASEAN’s will be very questionable.
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ASEAN is 40 years old this year, and part of it’s goal is to have stature and recognition in the international community. And more importantly, legal personality. An entity of its own.
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As the world speculate and could just be true, that Pakistan, Singapore and Philippines are muppets of the US. Or to the very least, have very strong ties. So when the Philippines made it’s objections regarding Myanmar, it was widely speculated that it was actually the work of the US.
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The keynote speaker, Prof. Donald Emmerson of Stanford University who spent alot of time in Indonesia, said that this is not logical. Knowing that everybody knew that he was an American, he had to put it some effort to rebut that point.
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He started off by saying that the nature of being a so-called superpower, is that people tend to exaggerate the amount of power that they (the US) have.
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In so far as objecting or discrediting the ASEAN or its Charter, the US won’t do that because to do that would alienise the ASEAN, thus allowing China leverage into ASEAN. That, is something the US definitely does not want.
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I’m not sure if it was him or another chap that said, the US policy South East Asian region, from the Cold War, to post Cold War and present day can be aptly described as a fluctuating Alzheimer.
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With regards to what Donald said, true or untrue, who knows. But it was a damn interesting point.