D. Confidence-Building and Preventive Diplomacy

Within the context of the ARF both confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy are being promoted as a response to post-Cold War peace and security needs in the region. The publication and exchange of defence white papers, intelligence information sharing, joint military exercises and participation in the UN Register of Conventional Arms are among the confidence-building measures considered by this body. There is also a recognition of the need to move preventive diplomacy forward, in response to the UN Secretary-General's An Agenda for Peace, in the efforts of the ARF. A non-governmental task force met on preventive diplomacy in Paris in November 1996 to draft proposals on this matter for the ARF to consider in its 1997 meeting.

E. Expanding Regional Cooperation

The creation of both APEC and the ARF is evidence of expanding regional economic and political cooperation in the region. It is possible that the limits of regional cooperation in terms of the number of relevant participants and the continuing manageability and usefulness of these dialogue processes may soon be reached if they have not yet been reached with the inclusion of all the major regional states in these two processes.

On another level, the expansion of regional cooperation is evidenced in the increase in ASEAN membership and those enjoying observer status. Cambodia and Laos have one year to prepare for full ASEAN membership, while the extension of observer status for Myanmar was effected despite serious concerns about the present lack of progress in the domestic politics of Myanmar. In any event, the completion of the enterprise of widening ASEAN membership to include South-East Asia's ten countries in the immediate future should not be taken for granted. The progress of reform inside Myanmar remains an important determining variable for some ASEAN members.

Date: 2015-01-11; view: 855