THE ASEAN WAY

Principles & Guidelines

 Lecture Outline

• Intro

• What is ASEAN Way

• 5 principles

• Conclusion
 Intro

• At the 30th ASEAN MM – question –

how A intended to deal with Myanmar?

• Answer – the ASEAN Way (AW)

• Some analysts - AW – simply

exaggerated & fallacious

• So what is AW?
 Intro

• AW – vague – defies any precise definition –

various terminologies

• ASEAN strategic culture, the ASEAN model, ASEAN

process

• AW – is enshrined in Bangkok Declaration,

ZOPFAN, ASEAN Concord, TAC.

• AW – to deal with challenges within the

organization – either contain or manage

• By adhering to this principal – successful in

preventing inter-state conflicts within the
group.
 Intro

• Some of the principles – in UN

Charter – non use of force, respect
for sovereignty, peaceful settlement
of disputes.

• AW – involves informality,
pragmatism, consensus building, non
confrontational style, build good
diplomatic relationships.
 5 Principles of ASEAN Way

• 1. consultation & consensus (musyawarah

& muafakat)

• 2. conflict management

• 3. non-interference policy

• 4.informal bilateral arrangements

• 5. avoidance of any formal m/l security

arrangements
 Consultation & Consensus (musyawarah
& muafakat)
• Consultation – making decision through a process of
discussion

• Consensus – is a way by which decisions are made,

make gentle suggestions, to consult all
participants, to take views & feelings into
consideration

• Village level political culture.

• Does not require 100% agreement – so long as the

members basic interest are not disregarded.

• Example – ZOPFAN, withdrawal of V forces from C,

East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC), expansion of
membership.
 Conflict management
• Found common areas of co-op while shelving
disputes

• Sensitive issues - never discussed in

formal meetings – TAC
 Non – interference policy
• Is pervasive in A documents.

• Bangkok Dec – regional cooperation through

respect for the principles of the UN Charter

• ZOPFAN – the right of every state, large or

small to lead its national existence free from
outside interference in its internal affairs

• Enshrined in the TAC – mutual respect for the

independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial
integrity, right of every state to lead its
national existence free from external
interference and non-interferece in the internal
affairs of another.
• Why this principle is strongly adhered:
– A. history of colonial intervention
– Great power military intervention during the CW
– Emergence of post colonial nation-states in SEA which were
compounded by internal problems (communist subversion,
secessionism)

• Mahbubani, K. “ one reason why no war has broken among

ASEAN states…because they adhere to this principle” .

• Why Non-Inteference norm is so strong -- most A states

have been confronted with domestic security threats,
recognize the risks – interference & subversion.
 Informal bilateral arrangements
• Intra A co-op – based on inter personal
contacts, no formal institutions

• Informality - as an important feature of

intra regional relations

• TAC – never been invoked – A states prefer to

act bilaterally.

• A dialogue process is unstructured, no clear

format agenda, issues are negotiated at an ad
hoc basis.

• Raises level of comfort, flexible decision

 No formal m/lateral security
arrangements
• No collective sec arrangements, or
alliances among A members.

• Security co-op is Ok – FPDA – more for

consultation and limited co-op

• A chose to pursue either national

resilience / informal multilateral sec
arrangements

• Why no formal multilateral – encourage

antogonism, counter productive.
 Conclusion
• The AW – gradual, informal – in managing
security – has been questioned
• Some analysts – the AW is just oft repeated
rhetoric, not being genuinely adhered by A
members
• Issues – expansion on A members, A’ s engagement
with China, smog crisis, currency crisis.
• Expose the lack of substance of the AW
• Is this true……?

(We will know the answer next week…)

 Course outcome
• I understand that ASEAN has its own
working method
• I understand the concept of ASEAn way
• I am able to define the concept of ASEAN
way
• I am able to describe the characteristics
• of the ASEAN Way concept