The United States and Southeast Asia: Toward a Strategy for Enhanced Engagement (Day 1)

The CSIS Southeast Asia Initiative hosted its first annual two-day conference focused on U.S. policy in Southeast Asia.  The conference entitled, “The United States and Southeast Asia: Toward a Strategy for Enhanced Engagement,” took place September 25-26, 2008 at CSIS, located at 1800 K Street, NW in Washington, DC. The event featured 15 prominent Southeast Asians and U.S. policy makers as panelists and keynote speakers.

The United States has interdependent strategic interests in Southeast Asia: to promote stability, prosperity, open commercial relations, and a balance of power. It maintains two formal alliances and a growing web of security partnerships in the region, relationships that are critical to promoting regional stability and security. The conference will be a forum to focus attention on the critical developments in Southeast Asian affairs and U.S.-Southeast Asian relations.

The CSIS Southeast Asia Initiative is a project of the International Security Program, and is directed by Derek Mitchell. CSIS launched the initiative in January 2008, to provide a venue for greater focus, examination, and analysis of Southeast Asian affairs within Washington’s policy community. The initiative includes regular roundtables, conferences, studies, and forums to spotlight developments in the region.

Pre-Conference Dinner

John Negroponte Keynote Address Audio (mp3, 00:22:52)

John D. Negroponte
Deputy Secretary of State

Surin Pitsuwan Keynote Address Audio (mp3, 00:28:57)

Surin Pitsuwan,
ASEAN Secretary General

Agenda

Southeast Asian Regional Affairs

Keynote Audio (mp3, 00:39:24) Keynote Video (wmv, 39:11)
9:00 a.m.  Welcome & Opening Remarks:          
Dr. Stephen Flanagan,
Senior Vice President and Director,
International Security Program, CSIS

9:05 a.m. Introduction:
Derek Mitchell,
Senior Fellow and Director for Asia
International Security Program, CSIS  

9:15 a.m  Keynote Address:          
The Honorable Charivat Santaputra,
Deputy Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand

10:00 a.m. America’s Place in the Region

• What debates are occurring in nations’ strategic orientation and security strategy?
• What are the trends in nations’ relations with and perspectives toward the United States? 
  • Is U.S. influence in Southeast Asia on the wane?
  • If so, what are the implications? Does U.S. influence remain desirable, and if so, to what ends?

Panel 1 Audio (mp3, 01:46:26)
Moderator: 
Derek Mitchell, Senior Fellow and Director for Asia, International Security Program, CSIS

Panelists:                      
Dr. Panitan Wattanayagorn, Professor, Chulalongkorn University
Her Excellency Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador to the United States, Embassy of Singapore
His Excellency Sudjadnan Parnoghadiningrat, Ambassador to the United States, Embassy of Indonesia 

12:00 p.m. Break & Lunch 

Keynote Audio (mp3, 00:54:06) Keynote Video (wmv, 53:55)

12:30 p.m. 
Keynote Address:           
Ambassador Scot Marciel, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia and Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs

1:45 p.m. Trends in ASEAN Affairs

• What are the implications of the ASEAN Charter?
• Does the "ASEAN Way" still hold sway, or has there been a shift in the conduct of intraregional affairs?
• How much patience will ASEAN expend in regard to Burma?
• What role does ASEAN seek to play in broader regional and global affairs?

Panel 2 Audio (mp3, 01:37:03)

Moderator:                    
Derek Mitchell, Senior Fellow and Director for Asia International Security Program, CSIS

Panelists:                      
Ambassador Rodolfo Severino, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Southeast Asian Studies
Dr. K.S. Nathan, National University of Malaya
Kavi Chongittavorn, Executive Editor, The Nation
Dr. Mely Caballero-Anthony, Professor, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

3:15 p.m. Shifting External Power Dynamics

• How are the major regional players assessing their strategic interests and policies in the light of a rising China, emerging India, engaged Australia, and more assertive Japan?
• What are nations’ perspectives toward the emergence of each country?  Which nation is most welcome/least welcome, and why?
• How much, and what kind of influence do they have today in Southeast Asia? 

Panel 3 Audio (mp3, 01:28:18)

Moderator:                    
Dr. Sheldon Simon, Professor, Arizona State University

Panelists:                      
Dr. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Professor, Chulalongkorn University & Director, Institute of Security and International Studies, Thailand
Dr. Stephen Leong, Assistant Director-General, Institute for Strategic and International Studies
Prince Norodom Sirivudh, Supreme Privy Counselor, Kingdom of Cambodia & Chairman, Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace

Day 2 Event Details >>