2005 Pacific Symposium

Asia Pacific Democracies:  Advancing Prosperity and Security

8-10 June 2005

Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort in Honolulu, HI

Updated:  05 July 2005

 

    

 

The remarkable expansion of democracy and sustained economic growth in Asia present new opportunities and challenges for U.S. policy toward the region.  These developments also have implications for civil-military relations, alliance responsibilities, and security cooperation.  This symposium will ask practitioners and scholars from the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific region to examine political transitions in Asia, their consequences for the region, and the implications for U.S. foreign and security policies.   

Transitions to democracy, the deepening of democratic institutions in established Asian democracies, and transfers of power via democratic elections have been welcomed and supported by the United States government for more than a decade.   Though welcomed, these transitions require the United States to build relationships with former opposition leaders who may be suspicious of established ties with the previous ruling party and the military. Asian democratic leaders must demonstrate leadership and build popular support for the measures necessary to maintain security. Free debate in these democratic societies also raises new questions about civil-military relations, alliance responsibilities, and security cooperation, especially with the increasing salience of terrorism and non-traditional security issues that challenge state sovereignty and blur the lines between domestic and international issues.  

Officials and experts at the 2005 Pacific Symposium will explore such key questions as: the progress and problems of democratic transitions in East Asia and the Pacific, how the United States can build contacts with new political forces without interfering in democratic processes, and which policies will encourage democratization and effective security cooperation with democratic friends and allies.  Other issues to be considered will include: globalization; generational changes; economic and domestic political developments; the impact of the South East and South Asian tsunami on humanitarian, disaster relief and regional security cooperation; and differing perceptions of threats and U.S. policies in the region.

PROGRAM 

Wednesday - June 8, 2005  

0900-1400       Registration 

1000-1100       Tour of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

1400-1415       Administrative remarks Administrative remarks

1415-1445       Welcome and/or Opening Keynote Address

Dr. Jimmie R. Lackey, Acting President, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Dr. Stephan Flanagan, Vice President for Research and Director, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University

1450-1635       Panel  I - Democracy, National Security and Foreign Policy - Lessons from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan

How has the democratic transition in your country affected the public and internal government debates on national and international security issues and  priorities?

How has democracy affected foreign & security policies?

Has democratization resulted in a shift in government spending among defense, social, and economic development programs?  How much support exists for strong defense spending?

What are the emerging security concerns and priorities in your country and how well do they align with U.S. priorities?  What can be done to enhance security and defense cooperation between your country and the United States?

Moderator:  Ambassador Charles B. Salmon, Jr., Foreign Policy Advisor, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Panelist:

General Narciso L. Abaya, (Ret.), President and Chief Executive Officer, Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), and former Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) -  Presentation

Lieutenant General Agus Widjojo, (Ret.), Senior Fellow, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta, and former TNI Chief of Territorial Affairs - Presentation

Dr. Chong-Pin Lin, President, Foundation on International and Cross-Strait Studies, and Professor, Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, Tamkang University - Presentation     Appendices 

1645-1745       No host reception

1800-2000       Dinner and Keynote Address:  Vice Admiral Gary Roughead, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command

Thursday - June 9, 2005  

0830-1015       Panel 2 - Alliance Relationships - Democracies working together

What are the key obstacles to good alliance relations, related to security and defense, and what emerging issues are likely to limit improvements in the future?

How are domestic political differences affecting your government’s positions on defense cooperation with the United States including basing, exercises, host support, missile defense, and roles and missions, etc.?

What effect is generational change having on support of the alliance?

How can the common commitment which your country and the United States have to democracy help with the adaptation of alliance relationships to meet emerging regional and global challenges?

Moderator:  Dr. Stephan Flanagan, Vice President for Research and Director, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University

Panelist:

Dr. Paul Dibb, Professor and Chairman of the Advisory Board, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australia National University - Presentation

Mrs. Takato Hikotani, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the National Defense Academy in Yokosuka - Presentation

Dr. Kun Young Park, Visiting Scholar, the Brookings Institution, and Professor of International Relations at the Catholic University of Korea

1015-1035     Break

1035-1220     Panel 3 - Working with Countries in Transition:  Fostering Democracy

How can the U.S. best build relationships with new leaders who may not be well known to us and/or suspicious of U.S. intentions and policies?

How can the U.S. support democracy in Asian countries without interfering in internal politics in counterproductive ways?

What is the attitude of most Asian governments toward promotion of democracy outside their own borders? How are they dealing with non-democratic states? Is there a growing regional consensus on dealing with such states?

What is the potential for an anti-democracy trend in Asia ? What are the sources of such a movement?  

Moderator:  Mr. Richard W. Baker, Special Assistant to the President, East-West Center

Panelist:

Ms. Ellen Bork, Deputy Director, Project for the New American Century - Presentation

Dr. Eric Teo Chu Cheow, Council Secretary of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) Presentation    PPT

Dr. Ann Marie Murphy, Assistant Professor, The John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University - Presentation

1230-1400      Luncheon:  VADM (Ret.) Fumio Ota, Director of the Center for Security and Crises Management Education, National Defense Academy and former Director, Defense Intelligence Headquarters, Japan Defense Agency - Presentation    PPT

1410-1545      Panel 4 - U.S. Security Policies

What changes in U.S. policy toward the Asia-Pacific region are likely during the second term of the Bush Administration?

The March 2005 National Defense Strategy describes the attributes required of U.S. military forces in terms of shape, size, and global posture.  How will these requirements be reflected in Asia?  What impact will this have on frequency or level of exercises, bi-lateral and multi-lateral operations, and MIL-MIL relations?

How well is the U.S. government making the case within Asia to support U.S. security policies and goals?  What role is the Department of Defense playing in this traditional Department of State responsibility – public diplomacy?

Moderator:  Dr. Rouben Azizian, Professor, Policy Studies Department, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Panelist:

Mr. Larry Niksch, Specialist in Asian Affairs, Congressional Research Service - Presentation

Dr. Robyn Lim, Professor of International Relations, Nanzan University, Japan - Presentation

LTC Roy Kamphausen, USA (Ret.), Director of National Security Affairs, National Bureau of Asian Research - Presentation

1545-1600     Break 

1600-1740     Panel 5 - Cooperation on Transnational Security Threats 

What are the emerging security concerns and priorities in your country and how well do they align with U.S. priorities?

What can be done to enhance security and defense cooperation between your country and the United States ?

How can we best build cooperation to counter terrorism, piracy, civil/human rights violations, persecution of minorities, disputes over maritime sovereignty, and borders? 

Moderator:  Ambassador Kenneth C. Brill, International Affairs Advisor to the Commandant, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National     Defense University

Panelist:

Dr. Chris Jasparro, Assistant Professor, Transnational Studies Department, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies 

Dato' Mohamed Jawhar bin Hassan, Director General, ISIS Malaysia - Presentation

Dr. Evelyn Goh, Assistant Professor, Institute for Defence and Security Studies, Nanyang Technological University - Presentation

Mr. William P. Pope, former Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State

Friday - June 10, 2005  

0900-1000    Briefing on Tsunami Relief and Humanitarian Assistance Efforts

BrigGen Paul E. Lefebvre, Deputy Director for Operations, U.S. Pacific Command - PPT

1010-1155    Panel 6 – 2004 Tsunami Disaster - Consequences for regional cooperation

What are the short and long term strategic consequences for Indonesia, India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, the countries most affected by the disaster?   

How has the U.S. response to relief efforts impacted your government’s attitude toward security cooperation with the United States?  What has been the response of the general population to U.S. efforts?

What are the important lessons of this experience for regional cooperation on other transnational threats (natural disasters, disease, environmental issues)?

Moderator:  LtGen H.C. Stackpole, USMC (Ret.), former President, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Panelist:

Honorable S. Jaishankar, Joint Secretary, Americas and Canada, Indian Ministry of External Affairs - Presentation

Brigadier L. Mahesh Samaraweera, Director, Plans and Staff Duties, Sri Lanka Army Headquarters - Presentation

1155-1200    Break

1200-1230    Summary and Closing remarks

Dr. Jimmie R. Lackey, Acting President, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

Dr. Stephen J. Flanagan, Vice President for Research and Director, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University