What Can the United States Learn from Russia’s Relations with ASEAN Countries?      

Neither the current US administration nor US academics recognize Russia as a major Asian power. The 2010 US National Security Strategy invokes Russia as a partner in Eurasia but says nothing about its role in Asia. Indeed, both US and Chinese experts consistently disregard Russia as a significant player in Asia. Russia's role in the on-again, off-again Six-Party Talks regarding North Korea is one example of this disdain. Although Russia faces many obstacles to becoming a credible Asian actor, Moscow is making resolute diplomatic overtures to secure its Asian standing. (Asia Pacific Bulletin)

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Burma’s President-Elect: A Clever Puppet?   

Upon inspection, the make-up of Burma’s “new” government much resembles the old. The only apparent difference from the military regime that has run the country for the past two decades is that certain job titles have changed to accommodate the facade of a civilian government and some ministers who had fallen out of favor with junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe have been replaced by their deputies. (The Irrawaddy)

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ASEAN learns lessons from the border dispute   

ASEAN has turned the Thai-Cambodian border crisis into an opportunity. Kudos must go to the ASEAN chair, Indonesia, and the country's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who has not shied away from taking up sensitive issues within the regional grouping.                (The Nation)

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Jakarta Eyes South China Sea     

In a recent interview with the Asahi Shimbun, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono claimed that as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, one of his top priorities would be to make progress over the South China Sea dispute by bringing China into multilateral talks. (The Diplomat)

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Japan’s National Security Policy: New Directions, Old Restrictions   

In 2010, two important documents on Japan's security and national defense policies were released under the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) government in Japan. One report is entitled "Japan's Vision for Future Security and Defense Capabilities in the New Era: Toward a Peace-Creating Nation." This report was issued in August by the Council on Security and Defense Capabilities in the New Era, the Prime Minister's private council on national security and defense capabilities which is chaired by Shigetaka Sato -- hereafter the Sato Report. The other is the "National Defense Program Guidelines, FY 2011-" that was issued by the Japanese government in December -- hereafter the 2010 NDPG. The former is a blueprint of Japan's national security and defense strategy, the latter addresses the formal Japanese defense program guidelines for the next ten years. (Asia Pacific Bulletin)

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Asia’s Opium Resurgence   

By 2005, Laos was proclaiming itself to be opium free, while the United Nations reported that Burma’s harvests had fallen by more than 50 percent from their peak. Indeed, the following year, then-UN Office on Drugs and Crime Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa predicted that the days of the Golden Triangle were numbered. The optimism was apparently misplaced. Last year’s annual UN opium survey for Southeast Asia reported a 22 percent increase in opium poppy cultivation on a year earlier, while in Laos production surged 55 percent. (The Diplomat)

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ASEAN needs new mindset   

Now that the ball is in Asean's court, any protracted move of the ongoing Thai-Cambodian dispute can further delay the realisation of the grouping's one community in the next 1,417 days. Regardless of the outcome, when the Asean foreign ministers meet on the afternoon of February 22 in Jakarta, it will mark a historic moment for Asean as a rule-based organisation's efforts to pursue effective dialogues to help warring members find a workable solution. Asean's future actions will be utmost cautious and yet forward-looking. Consensus would be required for any Asean collective endeavour, which will essentially be based on lowest denominators. (The Brunei Times)

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Burmese sanctions likely to stay, despite ASEAN call   

Barely months after the highly controversial general elections in Burma, ASEAN has re-visited the issue of lifting international economic sanctions against the country of over 50 million people. Ostensibly intended to isolate the military regime and pressure the country to reform its totalitarian government and improve its humanitarian practices, sanctions arguably have not effected their intended results. (East Asia Forum)

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50th Anniversary of 1961 Tamil “Satyagraha” Campaign   

February 20th 1961 is a very important date in the history of the Sri Lankan Tamil political struggle to regain  lost rights . It was on this day,  fifty years ago that the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party (FP) led by SJV  Chelvanayakam commenced a non–violent direct action campaign against the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Government headed by the world’s first woman Prime minister Sirima Bandaranaike. (The Daily Mirror)

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