ASEAN at 40: Mid-Life Rejuvenation?

On a more hopeful note, ASEAN did successfully organize a regional response (that included China) to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2003. Its efforts against terrorism, including cooperation undertaken informally and at bilateral levels, have begun to yield results. And in recent months, ASEAN members have grown impatient with the lack of political reform in Myanmar. The selection of Surin Pitsuwan to be the next secretary-general of ASEAN is both a welcome and ironic move. While serving as Thailand's Foreign Minister in 1998, Surin lost a battle with his ASEAN counterparts over his attempt to dilute the organization's noninterference policy in dealing with Myanmar and other transnational issues such as financial crises, drug trafficking, and regional air pollution. At the time, he advocated a policy of "flexible engagement" with Rangoon and called for ASEAN to set aside its doctrine of noninterference and deal with domestic issues that threatened the region's stability and well-being.

Responding to criticisms that the old ASEAN way no longer works, the organization is trying to reform and strengthen itself. The ASEAN Charter, a constitutional document which will be ready by the end of this year, is a key part of this process. In its report issued last December, the EPG came up with some bold ideas and took aim at ASEAN's lowest common denominator approach, which is often blamed for causing organizational inertia. The nongovernmental EPG recommended a formal dispute-settlement mechanism in all areas of cooperation, especially concerning economic and political issues; decision-making by majority vote rather than consensus in areas other than security and foreign policy; and steps to monitor compliance with ASEAN's objectives, principles, decisions, agreements, and timetables. The EPG also proposed sanctions against members who are in "serious breach" of any of these terms, including loss of membership rights and privileges or, in extraordinary circumstances, expulsion from the organization. However, not all of these recommendations will see the light of day. When the governments got their hands on the EPG report, the recommendation for a sanctions mechanism was quickly jettisoned. Old ways die hard in ASEAN.

ASEAN has taken another important step by deciding to pursue the establishment of an East Asian economic community. This effort was motivated in part by disillusionment with the perceived lack of U.S. support for countries affected by the 1997 financial crisis. In addition, the ASEAN nations wish to further integrate China while securing from it a greater commitment to the regional public good. But the idea of a regional economic community faces powerful obstacles. Longtime rivals China and Japan are not amenable to ASEAN's mediation efforts and ASEAN members and China disagree over the participation of non-East Asian nations. Due to lobbying by Japanese and Singaporean leaders, Australia, India, and New Zealand were invited to participate in the East Asian Summit. But this does not settle the geographic scope of the East Asian Community, as China still wants the group to keep out non-East Asian nations, including the United States.

THE FUTURE OF ASEAN

Is ASEAN heading toward irrelevance or is it reinventing itself? ASEAN's historical infatuation with Westphalian sovereignty and its tolerance for authoritarianism have been major liabilities. Recent signs of a shift in these areas are therefore especially welcome. Breaking with tradition, ASEAN Foreign Ministers recently recommended the creation of a human rights commission (without sanctioning authority) over the objections of Myanmar. The commission is subject to approval by the ASEAN leaders at their annual summit in November.

Despite ASEAN's limitations, no other organization can challenge its role as the hub of regional multilateral diplomacy. History is certainly on its side; no great power has ever successfully developed a permanent regional association in Asia under its sole tutelage. ASEAN is waking up to its institutional deficiencies and trying to chart a new direction. Tommy Koh, the renowned Singaporean diplomat and a member of the intergovernmental committee drafting the ASEAN Charter, recently declared that "ASEAN is indeed reinventing itself." Responding to unfavorable comparisons between the European Union and ASEAN, he quipped, "The European Union is an inspiration, but not a model."

ASEAN will never become, and does not aspire to become, the European Union of the East. It is a more inclusive and culturally tolerant body than the European Union. But the task of successfully drafting a charter and carrying out its provisions poses a crucial test for ASEAN. One can only hope that it will not follow in the European Union's failed constitution-making footsteps.