Clark keeps NZ in with a chance at Asia talkfest

Helen Clark and the Japanese Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, meeting in Kuala Lumpur during the summit. Picture / Reuters

Prime Minister Helen Clark might have been typecast by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed as a mere "Occidental at Asia's table".

But if the strategy she played out at this week's inaugural East Asia summit works, New Zealand will ultimately share in the fruits of a regional free trade deal.

Within the confines of the historic summit, Helen Clark emphasised she was not prepared for New Zealand - and Australia and India - to be "marginalised" on the edges of what could be transformed into the world's largest economic community.

Asean, the 10-strong group of Southeast Asian nations, already has free trade talks with its plus three partners: Japan, South Korea and China, India, and the CER partners (Australia and New Zealand).

But a number of its leaders - particularly the heads of Malaysia and China, which wants to keep India offside - are not yet fully favourable to the idea that New Zealand, Australia and India should enjoy equal status in the bigger region game.

Helen Clark told the Herald she had advanced a concept of "three circles" to ensure New Zealand's inclusion if the summit fleshes out an aspiration to drive regional economic integration.

At the heart of the concentric circles is Asean - the central driver with its long culture of dialogue and co-operation among its 10 member nations.

The second circle covers Asean and its separate external relationships with the plus three partners, New Zealand and Australia and India. The third circle brings all the 16 countries together.

"It's kind of like Asean driving out from its first circle relationships through its second, to build a third which gets everybody in the same room," she says.

"The critical question is, is this East Asia summit the vehicle for regional integration or is that role reserved for Asean plus three leaving the EAS as a broader dialogue with a more marginal role for the last three of us in the door?"

She made the point that the summit's slogan of "One vision, one identity, one community" should mean just that and characterised the dialogue as "aspirational, positive a nd inclusive".

Asean and its plus three partners are still at the centre of the main regional efforts for pushing closer co-operation. But it is early days yet and Helen Clark's diplomacy did help to ensure that the summit declaration included the promotion of economic prosperity as well as peace and stability.

Critics have made disparaging claims that the summit was simply a talkfest to curtail United States influence in Asia, which might over time, supersede Apec to the disadvantage of the US.

Whether the East Asia summit evolves into a fully fledged free trade area including half the world's population and a third of its trade and income will not be known for some years yet.

Helen Clark attributes part of her Asian success to political longevity. Her six years as prime minister is shaded only by Australian leader John Howard's near decade at the top, and the nearly 30-year tenure of the Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

"I've sort of become one of the established pieces of furniture and I've made a lot of contact at that level here."

Other Asean sources suggest Clark has a curiosity factor. She is the only female regional leader to get there off her own bat and not as the result of nepotism.

Helen Clark was also determined to see New Zealand was not left out after Asia New Zealand chairman Sir Dryden Spring reported to her in late 2002 that New Zealand had slipped off the radar screens within Asia.

She traces New Zealand's disappearing influence "back to the Asia crisis where (not surprisingly) a lot of the emphasis went out of the trade relationships.

"When September 11 came along in 2001 although the Asian economies were growing again we got involved in some of the debates around counter-terrorism," Clark recalls. "But by the end of 2002 this was certainly worrying Asia New Zealand. I took that on board and decided we needed to have a fresh approach."

A two-pronged strategy was launched: Clark personally called on a number of influential Asean leaders en route to the Bangkok Apec in 2003.

"I started some discussions at leaders level that bore fruit and the doors opened."

She co-hosted a Seriously Asia forum to get a greater Government focus on Asia, and signed the controversial Treaty of Amity and Co-operation before Australia after winning National's support.


What was the East Asia Summit?
A talkfest for leaders of 16 nations in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur which could yet lead to open, inclusive regional development.
How much clout?
Countries involved account for about half of the world's population and a fifth of world trade. They were the 10 Asean countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar) plus Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand.
Is it significant?
Perhaps. There is potential for a regional bloc along the lines of the European Union. But others suggest it could all just end in a puff of hot air.