The ASEAN way to regional security: diplomacy, co-operation and the road to resilience

Abstract

There have been many suggestions that regional security in Southeast Asia is based on the concept of 'comprehensive security'. Comprehensive security entails a wholistic or multi-faceted outlook of security which involves economic, political, military, psychological, and social aspects. This notion has been further supported by a general change in the international system and strategic perceptions following the end of the Cold War. However a literary review on the subject of ASEAN and regional security, along with specific comments made by key ASEAN officials reveals that the essence of ASEAN's approach to regional security rests more on its norms and traditions of regional diplomacy. These norms and traditions are premised on building trust and cooperation and include such elements as avoiding confrontation, constructive engagement, inclusiveness, informality, and a commitment to the dialogue process. A closer examination of ASEAN's current approach to security also reveals that it is more or less a continuation from the past; that is, well before the end of the Cold War and in different international environments. Because of this a critical investigation is made into the causes and origins behind such an approach to regional security. The contributing factors as to why ASEAN regional diplomacy plays a central role in regional security management range from common percpetions of international system to the lingering sources of conflict (military, political, ethnical, economic) in Southeast Asia. In effect they highlight a more deliberate and pragmatic methodology for building interstate cooperation and amity despite ongoing differences in national interests and strategic percpetions.