ASEAN

Association of South East Asian Nations

Course Outline

1. Background of ASEAN member countries history a. Geographical Setting b. Brief historical development with emphasis on their period of colonialism i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Philippines under Spain & America Malaysia under Britain Singapore under the Britain Brunei under the Britain Burma under the Britain Indonesia under the Dutch

vii. Vietnam under France

2. Beginnings of ASEAN a. History b. Formation c. Aims and Purpose d. Organizational Structure e. Founding Fathers f. Logo

3. ASEAN onwards to the 21st Century a. Formidable Challenges b. Objectives c. Visions

Association of South East Asian Nations

(ASEAN)

v regional alliance of ten independent countries which aims to rise up from the confines of the colonial past and to meet the challenges of the social, economic & cultural conditions of the region led to the founding of ASEAN. v August 8, 1967- ASEAN was formally established in Bangkok, Thailand

ASEAN Declaration

v were signed by the foreign ministers of the five countries v it is a non-political association v founded for the purposes of cooperation in matter of cultural, social, economic, & administrative, the members consult one another

THE ASEAN SECRETARIAT

The Foreign ministers of ASEAN set up the ASEAN Secretariat in February 1976. It was the housed at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia in Jakarta. The ASEAN Secretariats basic function is to provide for greater efficiency in the coordination of ASEAN organs and for more effective implementation of ASEAN projects and activities The ASEAN Secretariats vision is that by 2010, it will be the nerve centre of a strong and confident ASEAN community that is globally respected for acting in full compliance with its Charter and in best interest of its people. The ASEAN Secretariats mission is to initiate, facilitate and coordinate ASEAN stakeholder collaboration in realizing the purposes and principles of ASEAN as reflected in the ASEAN Charter.

ASEAN CHARTER
The ASEAN Charter serves as a firm foundation in achieving the ASEAN community by providing legal status and institutional framework for ASEAN. Codifies ASEAN norms, rules, and values; sets clear targets for ASEAN; and presents accountability and compliance. The ASEAN Charter entered into force on Dec 15, 2008.

ASEAN CHAIR
According to Article 31 of the ASEAN Charter, the Chairmanship of ASEAN shall rotate annually, based on the alphabetical order of English names of Member States.

A member state assuming the chairmanship shall chair the ASEAN summit and related summits. The chair of ASEAN for 2010 is Vietnam. With the theme, Towards the ASEAN Community: from Vision to Action On April 9 2010, at the 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, the ten member states of ASEAN unanimously agreed to Indonesias request to swop of ASEAN chairmanship with Brunei Darussalam for the year 2011.

v Although non-political, ASEAN had made political decisions such as:

1. The joint recognition of the new government in Kampuchea (Cambodia) and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to guide these communist countries. 2. The cooperation in having a zone of peace, freedom, and neutrality in SEA.

ASEAN projects include:

v Commerce & Industry v Mass Media v Tourism v Agriculture v Civil air transportation & communication v Social & Cultural Activities

5 Founding Fathers of ASEAN

1. Adam Malik

Indonesia

2. Tun Abdul Razak Malaysia 3. Narciso Ramos 4. S. Rajaratnam 5. Thanat Khoman Philippines Singapore Thailand

PROBLEMS FACED BY ASEAN COUNTRIES IN 1967

v Diverse political, social & economic system v Rival ideologies & political alignments (parliamentary and presidential) v Economic protectionism (e.g. Singapore) v Historical dispute

ASEAN Vision on 1967:

A Prosperous and Peaceful Community of Southeast Asian Nations

ASEAN LOGO

Solidarity, peace, prosperity Brown= strength & stability Yellow= prosperity Blue= friendship

ASEAN MEMBERS

ASEAN MEMBER STATES

Founding Countries August 8, 1967

5 Founding Fathers of ASEAN

5 Founding Fathers of ASEAN

1. Adam Malik 2. Tun Abdul Razak 3. Narciso Ramos 4. S. Rajaratnam 5. Thanat Khoman

Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand

Other Member States

ASEAN Candidate States

ASEAN Dialogue Partners

v U.S.A v Japan v China v Russia v Canada

Organizational Structure

v Summit Meetings v Ministerial Conference v Standing Committee v Ambassadors Conference v Permanent Secretariat v Member of the other committees, subcommittees and ad hoc groups

AIMS AND PURPOSES OF ASEAN

1.

To accelerate economic growth, social progress & cultural development in the region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of SEA nations.

2.

To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherance to the principles of the U.N. Charter.

3.

To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interests in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields.

4.

To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres.

5. To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization of their transportations and communications facilities, & the raising of the standards of their people.

6. To promote Southeast Asian Studies 7. To maintain close & beneficial cooperation with existing international & regional organizations, & explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among themselves

ASEAN Achievement for the Last 41 Years

Became an effective united voice in the international forums, actively promoting its economic and political agenda.

Has taken lead in ensuring peace and security in the region without forming itself into a military alliance.

The establishment of AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) in Which member states have commited themselves to lowering intra-ASEAN tariffs on imported goods to between 0-5% by 2003

The ASEAN Secretatriat has been revitalised, to respond more effectively to the demands of globalization and other post-cold war issues.

FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES FACING THE REGIONS

v Financial instability gripping Asia v Growing menace of environmental degredation v International terrorism v Transnational crime v Cambodian membership v Nuclear safety & Nuclear waste management v Advancement of moral & human dimensions

ASEAN in the 21st Century

...Today, ASEAN stands out as the most enduring, most dynamic, and most successful of the developing countries anywhere in the world..

...however, only 8% of the 10 countries constitute the world economy because they are overshadowed by the larger, more industrialized Northeast Asian countries, especially China.

But ASEAN is far more important than its economic share might suggest, because:

Lessons ASEAN should learn to move towards greater integration despite present political and economic crisis it faces:

1.

We need to go back to the basics and strengthen the backbone of each of our own economics.

2.

We need to ensure that growth and development benefit all our people.

3.

Our countries need solidarity with one another to build our collective strength.

4.

The crisis has faced us to focus attention on our relationship between business and government.

5.

The crisis has forced us to focus attention on our relationship between business and government on or whether government has any business running business, and or the quality of national governance.

6.

The crisis makes plain to us that political stability is essential to each of our countries economic success.

Basic Principles ASEAN should focus:

v v Addressing weaknesses v Implementing sound policies v Staying the course on Globalization v Sovereign equality v Consensus decision-making v Domestic non-interference v Open economies

ASEAN approach:

Right or Wrong?

In ASEANs history, there have been not distinctive milestones, no defining moments, no historic treaties that have changed the course and nature of the associates.

There has been no one decision or event that anyone can point in the perspective of history as being right or wrong...

...instead, the ASEANs progress has been steady, gradual, slow, flexible, informal, consensual.

Moreover, ASEAN has hewn closely to the gradual, evolutionary approach, never taking drastic turns or decisions that by a stroke of the pen, clearly change the course of the association or of the SEA history.

ASEAN did not hold its first meeting until 1976, nine years after its founding. After again meet at the summit the year after. Only at another five years, in 1992 did the ASEAN heads of government decide that they had to meet more oftenevery 3 years.

ASEAN waited 9 years before signing its formal treaty, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in SEA

The ASEAN approach has been only the realistic way for ASEAN to get to where it is now. From the beginning, ASEAN opted to rely for its collective actions & decisions not so much on legally enforcable agreements and elaborate institutions as on consultation & consensus & trust goodwill.

Lastly, the ASEAN approach has no alternative.

ASEAN Achievement for the Last 41 Years

Became an effective united voice in the international forums, actively promoting its economic and political agenda.

Has taken lead in ensuring peace and security in the region without forming itself into a military alliance.

The establishment of AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) in Which member states have committed themselves to lowering intra-ASEAN tariffs on imported goods to between 0-5% by 2003

The ASEAN Secretariat has been revitalised, to respond more effectively to the demands of globalization and other post-cold war issues.

ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)

Although the ASEAN Secretariat claims that AFTA is now virtually established, this statement might somewhat disguise the truth. Rice, considered as a highly sensitive product for the region, is still excluded from the AFTA agreement. Moreover, several members are still very unresponsive when they have to lower tariffs on certain other critical product groups. Malaysia, for example, refused to comply with the AFTA deadlines and kept on putting tariffs to their products.

Revitalization of the Secretary General and the Charter

The Singapore Summit of 1992 agreed on the restructuring of ASEAN institutions. These included (a) regularizing the formal and informal summits, (b) the dissolution of the five ASEAN economic committees and the establishment of SEOM and AFTA Council, (c) the re-designation of the Secretary-General of ASEAN with an enlarged mandate to initiate, advise, coordinate and implement ASEAN activities and (d) the professionalization of the ASEAN Secretariat staff on the principle of open recruitment (Openly Recruited Professional Staff and Locally Recruited Staff).

FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES FACING THE REGIONS

v Financial instability gripping Asia v Growing menace of environmental degredation v International terrorism v Transnational crime v Cambodian membership v Nuclear safety & Nuclear waste management v Advancement of moral & human dimensions

Financial Instability
The Asian financial crisis involves four basic problems or issues: (1) a shortage of foreign exchange that has caused the value of currencies and equities in Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and other Asian countries to fall dramatically, (2) inadequately developed financial sectors and mechanisms for allocating capital in the troubled Asian economies, (3) effects of the crisis on both the United States and the world, and (4) the role, operations, and replenishment of funds of the International Monetary Fund. The Asian financial crisis was initiated by two rounds of currency depreciation that have been occurring since early summer 1997. There was a drop in the value of the Thai baht, Malaysian ringgit, Philippine peso, and Indonesian rupiah, Taiwan dollar, South Korean won, Brazilian real, Singaporean dollar, and Hong Kong dollar The International Monetary Fund has arranged support packages for Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. The packages include an initial infusion of funds with conditions that must be met for additional loans to be made

Nuclear Safety & Management

3 ASEAN member states Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have so far announced plans to build nuclear power plants by 2020 in a bid to cut their dependence on crude oil and natural gas, sparking concerns over safeguards. According to Nur Hidayati a climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia: We say this is a very dangerous pathway if it is followed, We say this is not a solution because it creates more problems and it will last a long time. But Thai Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand defended the decision by some ASEAN states to develop nuclear power capabilities, stressing the plants are generally safe and do not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace activists insisted the region does not have the expertise and the personnel to operate nuclear power plants and store

Cambodian Membership
ASEAN wants Cambodia to become its 10th member as soon as possible, but not before Phnom Penh achieves real peace.

According to Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: Asean could not accept Cambodia yet first, because there was still fighting between the factions there.

Second, Prime Minister Hun Sen had ousted Ranariddh in a coup earlier this year, claiming that Ranariddh was cooperating with the Khmer Rouge, noted for their atrocities when they were in power in Cambodia.

The question of ASEAN being "against the use of military forces to take power".

ASEAN had stated that it is due to the use of military forces in Cambodia that they are postponing its membership. The truth is that ASEAN has NEVER insisted on the criteria that a member-government should be democratic nor does it abide by the criteria of non-usage of violence in maintaining power. .. ...Afterall, we just have to cite examples -- the violent military takeover in Burma; the brutal annexation of East Timor and the massacre of one-third of its population by the Indonesian military-government; the sufferings of the Filipino people under Marcos dictatorship; and the massacre of hundreds of Thais by the Thai military in 1992. .. ....were any of the ASEAN members questioned, their membership reviewed or suspended? No. In fact, for example, there had been a series of military coups in Thailand, but all the coup leaders enjoyed recognition by other member states of ASEAN. Furthermore this has not stopped the present admission of Burma into ASEAN. This suggests that ASEAN has double-standards when dealing with issues in the region.

Non-interference to internal problems

Former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas said discussions within ASEAN about Myanmar's military junta showed the group was relaxing its widely criticised policy of non-interference in member's internal affairs. According to him: "Respect for sovereignty will remain a basic principle for ASEAN, but increasingly we realize that we have to be flexible, that we have to be non-doctrinaire in some of these things, "ASEAN should be able to develop an agreed mechanism through which member states could work together to help a member country in addressing internal problems with clear external implications."