WASHINGTON _ The United States should be careful not to sideline existing allies in Asia, such as South Korea, as it seeks multilateral dialogue in the region, a recent congressional report advised.
At the same time, the election of Lee Myung-bak, who emphasizes improved relations with the U.S. and Japan, may help bring Seoul into such a multilateral framework, the same report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) said.
Spurred by an array of changes in Asia, including intra-regional trade links and a rising China, the U.S. is pursuing trilateral or other types of multi-party mechanisms to promote its interests, said the Jan. 7 report, "Emerging Trends in the Security Architecture in Asia."
Washington's response has been to reinvigorate bilateral alliances while engaging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and emphasizing trilateral dialogue with Japan and Australia, it said.
"Currently, the Pentagon seems to be out in front of the rest of the U.S. government in fostering actual multi-national security cooperation among the major democratic states of Asia," said the report.
The authors, Emma Chanlett-Avery and Bruce Vaughn, advised that the U.S. "must be particularly careful not to isolate other existing allies, such as South Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand, as it pursues new partnerships in Asia."
"Some observers think that the election of Lee Myung-bak as South Korean president, who is considered likely to improve relations with both the United States and Japan, could provide an opening for drawing Seoul in a multilateral regional framework," the report said.
Lee, former Seoul mayor, has named betterment of the U.S. alliance as one of the top priorities for his administration, which will take office on Feb. 25. His transition team has also been suggesting a senior dialogue channel with the U.S., involving both foreign and defense ministries.
China's rise poses a sensitive element for the U.S., which must find a way to both accommodate Beijing's peaceful economic rise while sending a clear signal that the U.S. is not leaving a geopolitical vacuum for China to fill, according to the report.
"An agenda aimed at the containment of China is not likely to attract regional states and could create a hostile security environment in Asia that would likely undermine U.S. and others' interests," it said.
(Yonhap)