The rise of ASEAN

The rise of ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to be held in Bangkok this week is attracting world attention for several reasons.

First, the birth of ASEAN marked a new phase in the development of the Southeast Asian regional order.

Whereas the period before the founding of ASEAN was characterized by intra-regional conflicts and tension among the five states that were to become its initial members, relations among these countries have been mostly harmonious in the past two decades.

Interest has therefore been focused on ASEAN's role as a promoter of peace in the region. External interest in ASEAN development has also been stimulated by the characteristics of the member states.

These states are Western-oriented, and most of them have been relatively successful with policies of stability and economic development.

These characteristics stand in contrast to the patterns of development in many other developing regions in the world. The ASEAN region is also seen as the economic engine that will fuel the faltering world economy.

Furthermore, ASEAN has attracted attention because of its durability, which contrasts with several earlier attempts at regional cooperation in Southeast Asia.

With the end of the bipolar structure, ASEAN together with other countries in the Asia-Pacific region is now actively engaged in multilateral discussions and dialogs to find an appropriate regional security framework.

After 28 years, ASEAN has emerged as a cohesive and vibrant regional organization with enviable international stature, confronting earlier skeptics who saw little future for the association.

ASEAN has not only become the most important fixture in Southeast Asian regional affairs, but it presence must also be taken into account even in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

-- The Nation, Bangkok