While the ink was drying on the Declaration that the Founding Fathers of ASEAN had just signed on that historic day, 8 August 1967, they took care to emphasize in their formal statements that one of the major motivations for the founding of the Association was the desire of the countries of the region to solve their own problems in their own way and according to their lights. And yet this spirit of independence which they were so ardently demonstrating was not absolute but was tempered with realism and did not by any means constitute a call to autarky.
The ASEAN Declaration itself indicated that one of the objectives of the Association was "to maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes..." For although globalization and interdependence were not yet household words at that time, the Foreign Ministers of the founding Members of ASEAN did have a keen sense that such forces were already at work. As early as the first several years of the 1970s, ASEAN found it beneficial to engage Japan in a dialogue initially on synthetic rubber and the European Economic Community (now the European Union) on tariff preferences for ASEAN products. This led to the establishment of an informal dialogue relationship between ASEAN and the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1972. The first formal ASEAN Dialogue relationship, however, was established with Australia in 1974 followed by New Zealand in 1975.
At the First Summit in Bali in 1976, the ASEAN Leaders declared the readiness of ASEAN "to develop fruitful relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries in the region."
A year later, ASEAN's Dialogue relations with the United States, Japan, the EEC and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) were formalized. That year happened to be the 10th Anniversary of the founding of ASEAN and the year that the Second Summit at Kuala Lumpur was held. During that Summit Meeting, the ASEAN Heads of Government agreed that ASEAN economic relations with third countries or groups of countries be expanded and intensified.
It was also during the Kuala Lumpur Summit that, for the first time, the Heads of Government of non-member states from outside the region participated in post-conference dialogue sessions with the ASEAN Leaders. The Prime Minister of Japan, the Prime Minister of Australia and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, each had dialogue sessions with the ASEAN Leaders.
Every year since then, the Foreign Ministers of Dialogue countries have held dialogue sessions with the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the Post-Ministerial Conferences that followed every ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences as well as the regular meetings between ASEAN and each of its Dialogue Partners have become a model for mutually beneficial North-South dialogue.
To assist in the process of consultation between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners, ASEAN Committees in Third Countries were established to engage their host governments in consultations. The heads of the diplomatic missions of ASEAN Member countries in the capitals of the Dialogue countries made up the membership of these Committees. The meetings which they held with the authorities of the Dialogue countries supplemented and supported the formal dialogues held during the Post-Ministerial Conferences and the meetings between Senior Officials of ASEAN and those of the Dialogue Partners.
ASEAN has consistently encouraged its private sector as well as those of its Dialogue Partners to play a greater role in developing beneficial relations. Indeed, the private sectors of both sides have responded positively, resulting in the establishment of joint business councils between ASEAN and almost all its Dialogue Partners. Representatives of the respective business councils usually attend the Dialogue meetings or hold parallel conference among themselves.
ASEAN's Dialogue relationships are not exclusively concentrated on economic matters, although during the early Post-Ministerial Conferences only economic concerns were taken up. Since after the Fourth Summit in Singapore, Post-Ministerial Conferences have discussed matters, of common concern in the field of global security and other transnational issues. The following provides brief background on each of the ASEAN-Dialogue Partners relations:
ASEAN-Australia. The ASEAN-Australia Economic Cooperation Program (AAECP) was launched in 1974 and has since then supported ASEAN projects in science and technology, population, education and training,social development, cultural exchange, institutional linkages and commercial facilitation. The AAECP Linkages Stream Program also aims to promote cooperative activities involving business, research, academic and government sectors in ASEAN and Australia in the sectors of environmental management, transportation, telecommunications, information technology, biotechnology and agro- based industries. An ASEAN-Australia Business Council has been established to promote trade and investment between the two sides.
ASEAN-Canada. The ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was established in 1981, four years after the Dialogue relationship had actually begun. The ASEAN-Canada JCC is being supported by the Joint Planning and Monitoring Committee. Canada is extending technical assistance to ASEAN projects in science and technology, agriculture, environment, human resources development, culture and information, and women in development. Canada provides support to the ASEAN Institute of Forest Management. ASEAN and Canada have also encouraged active participation of the private sector in the implementation of various projects. A JCC Sub-committee on Trade and Investment has been established.
ASEAN-China. China became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1996 after a consultative relationship which began in 1992. Under the ASEAN-China Joint Cooperation Committee are the Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation and the Joint Science and Technology Committee. ASEAN-China Senior Officials Consultations have also been established and are being held regularly. China also participates actively in the ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation. China is a founding member of the ASEAN Regional Forum.
ASEAN-European Union. ASEAN's relations with the European Union (EU), began in 1972. Relations were formalized in 1980 through the ASEAN-EC Cooperation Agreement. An ASEAN-EC Joint Cooperation Committee has been formed to assist ASEAN's programs on institutional linkages, environment, human resources development, scientific and technical exchanges, and narcotics control. Projects have been implemented to bring about greater industrial cooperation, greater participation of EU financial institutions in ASEAN projects and greater ASEAN access to European technology. The EU provides financial and technical support to the ASEAN-EU Energy Management Training and Research Center in Jakarta, the ASEAN-EU Management Center in Bandar Seri Begawan and the ASEAN Timber Technology Center in Kuala Lumpur. The European Union is the only Dialogue Partner of ASEAN where Foreign Ministers of both sides meet regularly in addition to the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences.
ASEAN-India. India has been accorded full Dialogue Partner status in ASEAN since 1995. India started as a Sectoral Partner of ASEAN in early 1993. The ASEAN-India Joint Cooperation Committee has set up two working groups, one on science and technology and the other on trade and investment. Cooperation is also underway or being explored in the areas of tourism, human resource development, infrastructure, and in facilitating people-to-people contact. An ASEAN-India Business Council and a Joint Management Committee on the ASEAN-India Fund have been established.
ASEAN-Japan. ASEAN-Japan Dialogue relations were institutionalized in 1977 although they had actually begun in 1973. ASEAN and Japan cooperate in the fields of trade, commodities, investment, transfer of technology and development assistance. An ASEAN Promotion Center on Trade, Investment and Tourism has been established in Tokyo to enhance private sector cooperation. Japan has extended financial support to such undertakings as the establishment of the ASEAN Cultural Fund (ACF), the Japan-ASEAN Exchange Program (JAEP), the Japan Scholarship Fund for ASEAN Youth, the Inter-ASEAN Technical Exchange Program (IATEP), and various human resources development projects. Japan is contributing to the efforts to develop the Mekong Basin. Regular consultations are held between the ASEAN Economic Ministers and Minister of International Trade and Industry of Japan.
ASEAN-New Zealand. Cooperation activities between ASEAN and New Zealand began in 1975. Today projects include promotion of institutional linkages; energy, including natural gas utilization in transport; science and technology; narcotics control; and social development. Among the major undertakings in ASEAN-New Zealand cooperation are the Inter-Institutional Linkages Program (IILP) and the Trade and Investment Promotion Program (TIPP) designed to develop sustainable commercial links and increase the awareness of the economic opportunities existing in each of their respective markets. New Zealand has also contributed substantially to the ASEAN Science Fund.
ASEAN-Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea became a full Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1991. Its cooperation with ASEAN now covers trade, investment, tourism, science and technology, development cooperation and human resources development. ROK has set up a Special Cooperation Fund (SCF) for ASEAN-ROK projects. Some of the on-going activities include the Research Project on the Establishment of Science and Technology Manpower Development System, International Cooperation Program for Industrialization in ASEAN, and the Technology Transfer Program in Agricultural Development.
ASEAN-Russian Federation. The Russian Federation became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1996 following a consultative relationship which began in 1992. As in the case of most Dialogue Partners, a Joint Cooperation Committee was established and held its inaugural meeting in Moscow in June 1997. A Joint Science and Technology Committee was established and held its first meeting also in June 1997 in Moscow. The areas of mutual interest include cooperation in biotechnology, meteorology and geophysics, microelectronics and information technology and materials science and technology. Russia is a founding member of the ASEAN Regional Forum.
ASEAN-United States. The United States became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1977. The emphasis of this relationship has been on the promotion of trade and investment led by the private sector through the ASEAN Private Investment and Trade Opportunities (PITO) project. Representatives of the ASEAN-US Council for Business and Technology regularly attend the ASEAN-US Dialogue. The United States also supports the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) which aims to promote the transfer of U.S. technology to improve the economic and efficient use of natural resources by ASEAN domestic industries. With U.S. support, Clean Technology and Environmental Management Information Centers have been established in Jakarta, Manila and Singapore to encourage ASEAN industries to use environment-friendly technologies. Regular consultations are held between the ASEAN Economic Ministers and the U.S. Trade Representative.
ASEAN-UNDP. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is the only multilateral organization which has been accorded Dialogue Partner status in ASEAN. The UNDP has been providing financial and technical assistance to ASEAN projects since 1977. Two major UNDP-assisted projects of ASEAN included technical assistance on (a) the restructuring and strengthening of the ASEAN Secretariat; and (b) the establishment of Programs and Projects Management System at the ASEAN Secretariat. The ASEAN Sub-Regional Program (ASP), now in its fifth cycle, consists of the following components: (a) human development, (b) capacity building, (c) liberalization of trade and investment, (d) trade and environment, (e) science and technology, (f) ASEAN Network for ASEAN Women in Skills Training, and (g) Sub-regional collaboration between ASEAN and Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
In addition to its Dialogue Partners, ASEAN also maintains relations with various international organizations and regional groupings such as the South Pacific Forum, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Rio Group, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and the Southern Africa Development Community. Consultations are also being held with countries representing economic groupings like the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement, the European Free Trade Association, the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercusor) and the North American Free Trade Agreement.
ASEAN's Dialogue relations with third countries and other international and regional organizations have been exceedingly fruitful. Through the cooperation extended by its Dialogue Partners, ASEAN has been able to expand its social and economic development efforts and secure greater access to foreign markets, technology and capital. Moreover, ASEAN has been able to present its views and positions on regional and global issues with considerable impact and has secured support from major countries for its positions on various issues.
During the Fifth ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in December 1995, the ASEAN Leaders, therefore, had good reason to emphasize that "ASEAN shall remain outward-looking and shall deepen its external relations with its partners in a globally-interdependent world". For through its Dialogue relations, ASEAN has not only served the cause of its own development, but it has also done great service to the cause of international understanding. It has contributed to the growth of the spirit of cooperation and interdependence among nations. As Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad has eloquently pointed out, "ASEAN on its own might not be able to change the world. But with other like-minded nations, we can make a difference and achieve a lot".
