Washington Dialogue
Communiqué by the Melbourne Group
The Melbourne Group: A partnership between the The National Centre for South Asian Studies and theMonash Asia Institute
Thursday 11 February 1999, Georgetown University, Washington DC
The Melbourne Group first convened in August 1998 to discuss ways in which we can strengthen regional security. A communiqué was issued at the conclusion of three days discussion of a range of issues affecting security in the region. The second meeting of the Melbourne Group was held in Georgetown University, Washington DC and brought together a wider range of non-official experts from Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea and the USA .
The discussions reaffirmed much of the spirit and substance of the first meeting in Melbourne. The Washington meeting re-emphasised the urgency to encourage those processes which will lead towards minimising the risks of nuclear, conventional and other forms of conflict in the coming decades. The group developed a second communiqué which calls on all governments and policy-making communities to commit themselves to the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons.
During two days of meetings commencing on Wednesday 10th Feb 1999, the following issues were discussed:
- Developments since the August 1998 Melbourne Communiqué;
- Security concerns in South and East Asia;
- The future of the Korean peninsula;
- The concept and applicability of minimum credible nuclear deterrence;
- The response of the international community to nuclear and security issues;
- Issues in regional relationships and possible new security architectures;
The meeting agreed on the following:
- That continued economic sanctions on India and Pakistan were not likely to be effective and may be counterproductive;
- That steps be undertaken to initiate a range of confidence-building measures, dialogues and restraint to prevent crises and conflict and encourage the resolution of disputes and the alleviation of tensions - in particular attention was drawn to the need to resume the India-China bilateral dialogue and in general create an environment in which the countries of the region share perceptions and information about their respective policies;
- Take measures to encourage enhanced economic links, people-to-people contacts and regional and subregional cooperation;
- That the established nuclear states be encouraged to share their knowledge, technology and experience with nuclear safeguards, accident prevention and budgetary audits.
As part of the process of confidence building, we report that the Melbourne Group has taken steps to maintain an on-going dialogue amongst its participants and interested parties. It was recognized that an important factor in building trust and confidence is the ability to share information and expertise, and to do this in a way which is quick and timely. To this end, the Melbourne Group has commenced the establishment of Asia Security Network. The components of the network are as follows:
- an information service providing timely summaries of news and analysis throughout the region;
- a policy forum on-line about Asian Security to facilitate the sharing of data, documents and ideas;
- a repository for important documents, agreements and texts;
- an international, collaborative research program to promote the analysis of regional security questions;
- a series of further round-table discussions in Beijing, Tokyo, Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad, New Delhi and other capital cities as a way of informing governments and the general public about the conclusions reached by the Melbourne Group.
The steps which are being taken to implement this network are:
- identify institutions willing to act as autonomous nodes in China, India, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Russia, Australia, United States and other countries;
- identify funding sources and seek support for the network;
- establish appropriate links between this network and the existing Nautilus Institute Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network.
For further information about the Melbourne Group
Associate Professor Marika Vicziany
or Professor John McKay
Monash Asia Institute
Monash
University
Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
Tel:
61 3 9905 9256
Fax: 61 3 9905 5370
Email:
marika.vicziany@arts.monash.edu.au
,
john.mckay@arts.monash.edu.au
List of Participants and Observers
From Australia
- A. Prof Robert Bruce Head Social Sciences & Asian Languages, Curtin University of Technology, Perth
- Mr Cameron Forbes Washington Correspondent The Age Newspaper
- Dr Devin T Hagerty University of Sydney, Sydney
- Hon Jim Kennan QC Immediate past Chairman Australia-India Council, Melbourne
- Mr Alister Maitland Chairman Australia-India Business Council, Melbourne
- Prof John Maloney Deputy VC (International) Monash University, Melbourne
- Prof John McKay Director, Monash Asia Institute Monash University, Melbourne
- Mr Ian Porter Executive Director - Intl Affairs Monash University, Melbourne
- A. Prof Marika Vicziany Director National Centre for South Asian Studies, Melbourne
- Dr Samina Yasmeen School of Politics University of Western Australia, Perth
From Bangladesh
- Brigadeer Muhammad S A Khan Bangladesh Inst of Int & Strategic Studies, Dhaka
From India
- Prof Brahma Chellaney Prof of Security Studies Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi
- Ms Nengcha Lhouvum Deputy Consul Indian Consulate - New York USA
- Mr Inder Malhotra Journalist, New Delhi
- Air Commodore Jasjit Singh Director Institute for Defence Studies & Analysis, New Delhia
- Mr N N Vohra Director India International Centre, New Delhi
From Japan
- Dr Yoshihide Soeya Professor of Political Science Keio University, Tokyo
From the Republic of Korea
- Dr Oknim Chung Fellow The Sejong Institute, Seoul
From the People's Republic of China
- Dr LI Bijian China Inst of Intl Studies (CIIS), Beijing
- Mr DU Wei 1st Sec Dept US & Oceanian Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing
- Major General GONG Xianfu Attache Defence Department, Beijing
- Dr Hua Han Institute of Asian & African Studies Beijing University, Beijing
From Pakistan
- Lt. Gen (Ret'd) Nishat Ahmad Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad
- Ambassador (Ret'd)Abdul Sattar Former Foreign Minister, Islamabad
From Russia
- Dr Vasily V Mikheev Institute of Far Eastern Studies Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Singapore
- Dr Derek da Cunha Institute of Sout East Asian Studies, National University of Singapore
Sri Lanka
- Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Executive Director Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo
USA
- Mr Marshall Bouton Executive Director Asia Society, New York
- Mr Stephen P Cohen The Brookings Institution, Washington DC
- Prof Francine R Frankel Director Cntr for the Advanced Study of India,University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Dr Robert L Gallucci Dean E A Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Dr Stephen P Gibert Director Ntnl Security Studies, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Dr. Timothy D. Hoyt, National Security Studies Program, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Dr Wade L Huntley Program Director, Asia Pacific Security The Nautilus Institute, San Francisco
- Dr Dinshaw Mistry Research Scholar The Brookings Institution, Washington DC
- Mr Michael Newbill The Stimson Centre, Washington DC
- Prof Henry Nowik International Business Diplomacy Section, Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Dr Phillip Oldenburg Southern Asian Institute Dept Columbia University, New York
- Mr Robert W Radtke Policy Programs The Asia Society, New York
- Ambassador Howard Schaffer Inst for the Study of Diplomacy Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Ambassador Teresita C Schaffer, Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
- Mr Lawrence Scheinman Director Monterey Institute, Washington DC
- Prof David Steinberg Director, Asian Studies Program Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Ambassador Richard Teare Director, Aust & NZ Centre Georgetown University, Washington DC
- Dr Casimer Yost Director, Inst for the Study of Diplomacy Georgetown University, Washington DC