AUSTRALIA: Australia will take a big step towards improving its fraught relations with its southeast Asian neighbours today when it formally commits itself to signing a regional treaty.
After years of mutual ambivalence about Australia's role and participation in Asian initiatives, Canberra said it would sign the non-aggression pact, which bars the use of force to resolve disputes, to secure a seat at December's East Asian Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The Association of South East Asian Nations had told Canberra that acceding to its Treaty of Amity and Co-operation was a non-negotiable prerequisite to inclusion at an inaugural East Asian Summit. Diplomats say this could be an important driver of regional economic integration.
Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer yesterday hailed the country's accession to the peace pact and invitation to the summit as "an enormous step forward for Australia in terms of our engagement with East Asia".
Southeast Asian countries had urged Canberra to sign the treaty to dispel concerns provoked after the government - after the 2002 Bali bombings - said it had the right to make "pre-emptive strikes" against terrorists on foreign soil if there was an imminent threat against Australia.