PNG bid in Limbo
Source:
The National, Thursday 31st January, 2013
By WANPIS AKO
Papua New Guinea’s bid to gain full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will be a challenge, says a government official.
“PNG has not met some statutory requirements to gain permanent membership in the Asean,” Samuel Pulup, director general for political, security and treaties in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said.
“One of them is to establish a resident diplomatic mission in the capitals of six member nations at the cost of about K300 million.”
He said PNG only had resident diplomatic missions in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.
Countries it plans to establish diplomatic missions in are Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Thailand and Myanmar.
PNG was granted Asean observer status in 1976.
Pulup said despite persistent efforts by former governments for full membership, member states provided their justification for refusal due to racism and non-fulfilment of Article 6 of the Asean Charter.
Under the charter, it needs to be located in a geographical region of Southeast Asia recognised by all Asean member nations, agree to abide by the charter and its ability and willingness to carry out the obligations of Asean member countries.
Pulup said the former government had political direction and had aggressively lobbied for full membership but received mixed reactions from the member nations.
In 2009, former Philippines president Gloria Arroyo supported former prime minister Sir Michael Somare’s submission for full membership but others withdrew their support.
“Given the country’s economic growth, it is important for us to become part of Asean because the economies of the member nations are advanced and influential in the world affairs. We have a lot to benefit by virtue of our membership,” Pulup said.
He said member countries would also benefit from PNG when the liquefied natural gas project began in 2014.
The main reservation member nations have is whether PNG had the capacity.
“PNG has not signed various framework arrangements with all the member nations and has not established Asean division within the department.
“At this stage, the government has no plans to establish diplomatic missions in all the member countries,” Pulup said.
The annual subscription fee to be in Asean is K10 million.
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| Official logo of ASEAN |
Pulup said PNG acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Corporation in the 1980s which was a compulsory requirement.
Author Reference: Wanpis Ako has graduated from the University of Papua New Guinea with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and Public Relations. He has briefly worked with two daily newspapers of Papua New Guinea-The National and Post Courier. His work experience has been extended into the Prime Minister Media Unit and the office of Parliamentary Opposition Leader of Papua New Guinea- not to mention the Ministries of Treasury, Higher Education, Communications, Information Technology and Energy. He has got over five years experience in digital marketing, branding, public affairs, media and public relations.
