Thayer Consultancy Background Brief

ABN # 65 648 097 123

Australia-ASEAN Special
Summit: Major Takeaways
March 18, 2018

We are preparing a wrapup of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit and request your
analytic input.
Q1. What were your major takeaways from the Summit, particularly with respect to
Cambodia and its relations with Australia and membership in ASEAN?
ANSWER: The Australia-ASEAN Special Summit delivered three positive outcomes.
First, an agreement on cooperation in counter-terrorism with a focus on foreign
fighters in Iraq and Syria who might return to Southeast Asia and Australia, including
cooperation to address deradicalization and cyber encryption. Second, agreement to
promote trade liberalization and oppose protectionism. Third, a statement on the
South China Sea calling for non-militarization but repeating ASEAN’s boiler plate
language on self-restraint and the quick achievement of a binding Code of Conduct
without any mention of China by name.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull raised human rights issues in a private meetings with
his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen. The main game, from Australia’s point of view,
was firming up ties with ASEAN and bilateral relations with Singapore and Indonesia.
Q2. Did pressure from rights groups, protesters on the street (i.e. the Khmer diaspora
community), make any difference to whatever discussion ofhuman rights issues
occurred at the Summit?
ANSWER: There were multiple protests over human rights in four ASEAN member
countries, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam. Hundreds of Australian
citizens of Khmer ancestry demonstrated against Hun Sen, even taking up the
challenge of burning his effigy in public. Protests occurred away from Darling Harbour
Convention Centre where the Australia-ASEAN Special Summit took place.
It was no doubt pressure from the Cambodia diaspora in Australia that led Prime
Minister Turnbull to raise the issue with Hun Sen. Up to now the Australian Foreign
Minister Julie Bishop has been underwhelming in her public comments. Only one short
media statement has been issued with respect to Hun Sen’s assault on democracy.
Q3. Do you have any additional comments?
ANSWER: Cambodia’s domestic situation was overshadowed by the Rohingya crisis in
Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi’s lack of effective leadership. However, the mass rally
against Hun Sen and his dismantlement of Cambodia’s system of liberal multiparty
 2

democracy has drawn public attention to this issue and it is unlikely to die down. A
World Khmer Congress will be held in Melbourne over the Easter long weekend and
this will serve to unite the Khmer diaspora in Australia and overseas.

Suggested citation: Carlyle A. Thayer, “Australia-ASEAN Special Summit: Major

Takeaways,” Thayer Consultancy Background Brief, March 18, 2018. All background
briefs are posted on Scribd.com (search for Thayer). To remove yourself from the
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Thayer Consultancy provides political analysis of current regional security issues and
other research support to selected clients. Thayer Consultancy was officially
registered as a small business in Australia in 2002.