ASEAN

INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
ASEAN
ASEAN
ASEAN stands for the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations. It was founded
on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.
ASEAN MEMBERS
Itsoriginal charter counted five member-
countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
Since then, five other nations have joined
up: Brunei in 1984, Vietnam in 1995,
Myanmar (Burma) and Laos in 1997, and
Cambodia in 1999.
ASEAN’S PURPOSE
The ASEAN was set up to advance mutual
interests in the region. These interests
include the acceleration of, economic growth
social and cultural progress, and regional
peace and stability.
In line with those goals, ASEAN leaders set
up three "pillars" of governance in 2003:
ASEAN Security, ASEAN Economic
Community, and ASEAN Socio-cultural
Community.
ASEAN’S PURPOSE
The ASEAN also aims to unite the region and
promote greater cross-cultural understanding
through various educational and social programs.
Examples of this include the ASEAN Work
Programme for HIV and AIDS; ASEAN
Occupational Safety and Health Network;
ASEAN University Network (AUN) ASEAN
Students Exchange Programme, Youth Cultural
Forum, and the ASEAN Young Speakers Forum;
among others.
ASEAN CHARTER
The ASEAN Charter is a constitution for the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). It was adopted at the 13th ASEAN
Summit in November 2007
The intention to draft the constitution had been
formally tabled at the 11th ASEAN Summit held
in December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ten ASEAN leaders, one each from each member
state, called the ASEAN Eminent Persons Group
were assigned to produce recommendations of
the drafting of the charter.
Principles set out in the charter include:
Emphasising the centrality of ASEAN in regional cooperation.
Respect for the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, non-
interference and national identities of ASEAN members.
Promoting regional peace and identity, peaceful settlements of disputes
through dialogue and consultation, and the renunciation of aggression.
Upholding international law with respect to human rights, social justice and
multilateral trade.
Encouraging regional integration of trade.
Appointment of a Secretary-General and Permanent Representatives of
ASEAN.
Establishment of a human rights body and an unresolved dispute
mechanism, to be decided at ASEAN Summits.
Development of friendly external relations and a position with the UN (like
the EU )
Increasing the number of ASEAN summits to twice a year and the ability to
convene for emergency situations.
Reiterating the use of the ASEAN flag, anthem, emblem and national
ASEAN day on August 8.
The ASEAN way
mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty,
equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of
all nations;
the right of every State to lead its national existence
free from external interference, subversion or
coercion;
non-interference in the internal affairs of one another;
settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful
manner;
renunciation of the threat or use of force; and
effective cooperation among themselves".
ASEAN’s POLICIES
Track 1- refers to intergovernmental
processes
Track II - involving civil society groups
and other individuals with various links
who work alongside governments
Track III - acts as a forum for civil society
in Southeast Asia
Meetings
ASEAN Summit
The formal summit meets for three days. The usual itinerary
is as follows:
Leaders of member states would hold an internal organisation
meeting.
Leaders of member states would hold a conference together
with foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum.
A meeting, known as ASEAN Plus Three, is set for leaders of
three Dialogue Partners (People's Republic of China, Japan,
South Korea)
A separate meeting, known as ASEAN-CER, is set for
another set of leaders of two Dialogue Partners (Australia,
New Zealand).
Meetings
East Asia Summit - is a pan-Asian forum
held annually by the leaders of 16
countries in East Asia and the region, with
ASEAN in a leadership position.
Commemorative summit - is a summit
hosted by a non-ASEAN country to mark
a milestone anniversary of the
establishment of relations between
ASEAN and the host country.
Meetings
Regional Forum - The ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF) is a formal, official, multilateral dialogue in
Asia Pacific region.
The ASEAN Plus Three - is a meeting between
ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea, and is
primarily held during each ASEAN Summit.
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal
dialogue process initiated in 1996 with the
intention of strengthening cooperation between the
countries of Europe and Asia, especially members
of the European Union and ASEAN in particular.
Meetings
The ASEAN-Russia Summit is an annual
meeting between leaders of member states
and the President of Russia.
Economic Community
Free Trade Area
The foundation of the AEC is the ASEAN
Free Trade Area (AFTA), a common
external preferential tariff scheme to
promote the free flow of goods within
ASEAN.
The ASEAN Comprehensive Investment
Area (ACIA) will encourage the free flow
of investment within ASEAN.
Economic Community
All industries are to be opened up for
investment, with exclusions to be phased out
according to schedules
National treatment is granted immediately to
ASEAN investors with few exclusions
Elimination of investment impediments
Streamlining of investment process and
procedures
Enhancing transparency
Undertaking investment facilitation measures
Economic Community
Trade in Services
The ASEAN Single Aviation Market
(SAM), proposed by the ASEAN Air
Transport Working Group, supported by
the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials
Meeting, and endorsed by the ASEAN
Transport Ministers, will introduce an
open-sky arrangement to the region by
2015.
Economic Community
ASEAN six majors
GDP nominal 2009 (billions USD)
 Indonesia: 514,900
 Thailand: 266,400
 Malaysia: 191,463
 Singapore: 177,132
 Philippines: 160,991
 Vietnam: 91,760
Cultural activities
The S.E.A. Write Award is a literary award
given to Southeast Asian poets and writers
annually since 1979. The award is either given
for a specific work or as a recognition of an
author's lifetime achievement. Works that are
honoured vary and have included poetry, short
stories, novels, plays, folklore as well as
scholarly and religious works. Ceremonies are
held in Bangkok and are presided by a
member of the Thai royal family.
Cultural activities
ASAIHL or the Association of Southeast
Asian Institutions of Higher Learning is a
non-governmental organisation founded
in 1956 that strives to strengthen higher
learning institutions, espescially in
teaching, research, and public service,
with the intention of cultivating a sense of
regional identity and interdependence.
Cultural activities
ASEAN Heritage Parks is a list of nature
parks launched 1984 and relaunched in
2004. It aims to protect the region's
natural treasures. There are now 35 such
protected areas, including the Tubbataha
Reef Marine Park and the Kinabalu
National Park.
Cultural activities
The ASEAN Scholarship is a scholarship program
offered by Singapore to the 9 other member states
for secondary school, junior college, and university
education. It covers accommodation, food, medical
benefits & accident insurance, school fees, and
examination fees.
The ASEAN University Network (AUN) is a
consortium of Southeast Asian universities. It was
originally founded in November 1995 by 11
universities within the member states. Currently
AUN comprises 21 Participating Universities.
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