Rehabilitated Vietnam still feels way in ASEAN
HANOI - A decade ago
communist-ruled Vietnam was still something of an
international pariah.
A lot has changed, and next Tuesday its regional
rehabilitation will be complete when it hosts a summit of
leaders from the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) amid the region's searing economic
crisis.
``Vietnam's membership in ASEAN sealed its unity with
the rest of Southeast Asia, overcoming the divisions of
the past,'' said ASEAN secretary-general Rodolfo
Severino, referring to Hanoi's admittance to the regional
club in 1995.
``Its hosting of the summit marks a culmination of sorts
of the process which began with Vietnam's membership
in ASEAN.''
In 1988, Vietnam's backers from the former Soviet bloc
had not yet collapsed and Hanoi's troops still occupied
Cambodia after an invasion in 1978 ousted the genocidal
Khmer Rouge.
A U.S.-led trade embargo helped cripple Vietnam's
economy and Hanoi was broadly mistrusted by many
Asian neighbours.
Communist rivals Vietnam and China had no formal
diplomatic ties and engaged in occasional firefights over
land and around the disputed Spratly Islands in the
South China Sea.
But economic reforms accelerated as Soviet aid
dwindled after 1990, and Vietnam looked more to Asia
and the West. The results, once Hanoi's door creaked
Washington lifted its embargo in early 1994, which was
quickly followed by the double diplomatic coup in
mid-1995 of Hanoi normalising diplomatic ties with the
United States and gaining entry into the formerly
anti-communist ASEAN grouping.
William Turley from the department of political science
at Southern Illinois University in the United States said
the summit would complete Hanoi's passage from pariah
status.
``It seals the acceptance by ASEAN's original members
of increased diversity of regime types and norms within
the organisation,'' said Turley, a Vietnam specialist.
But he said even with the end of the Cold War, many
were surprised by the speed of events that prompted
ASEAN to roll out the welcome mat to its old
antagonist.
``The astonishing thing to me...was how quickly these
attitudes evaporated with the winding down of the Cold
War,'' he said.
``A sense of shared Southeast Asian-ness, not to
mention a recognition of the commercial opportunities to
be gained from a stable and open environment, replaced
old animosities and mistrust in a wink...at least on the
surface.''
David Marr, professor of Southeast Asian History at the
Australian National University, said the spark that ignited
the growth of the new Southeast Asia was Vietnam's
1989 pullout from Cambodia.
Throughout the 1980s Vietnam had backed a
Cambodian government which included current premier
Hun Sen.
``That was the single most important event. There was
still a residue of mistrust for a year or two...(but) it was a
confidence-building exercise that went on for several
years,'' he said.
But analysts said the spectre of China still loomed large
over Asia and having Vietnam in ASEAN was
convenient for all.
Turley said Hanoi had engaged in ASEAN
confidence-building measures. He cited exchanges of
military delegations and weapons inspections, the sharing
of intelligence, and Hanoi joining other ASEAN
countries in publishing its first White Paper on defence.
``ASEAN has been engaged in an almost textbook
application of security-building measures for a decade,
and Hanoi has gone along quite willingly,'' he said.
Diplomats said Hanoi had yet to propose solid policy
initiatives within ASEAN, but that the summit provided a
chance for the country to be seen taking a more
proactive role.
``Hanoi wants a feather in its cap beyond hosting a
successful summit. It's clear what that is -- they want the
kudos of helping their old mates in Cambodia to finally
join the group,'' one diplomat said.
Reuters - December 10, 1998.
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