Dramatic changes are taking place in the political and security situation in the Asia-Pacific region. The end of the Cold War unleashed great opportunities among nations to redefine their relationships towards closer positive cooperation. The prospects for multipolarity in global and regional politics have increased as more and more nations break their dependence on major powers and develop wider relationships with new or emerging power centres. Open regionalism has gained adherents as a new framework for constructive cooperation among nations or group of nations.
Within this context, ASEAN is moving towards a higher plane of political and economic cooperation to secure regional peace and prosperity. ASEAN succeeded in establishing the mechanism for effective consultations on matters that have region-wide repercussions. Over time, it is hoped that these mechanisms can mature into effective regional institutions.
At the Fourth ASEAN Summit in Singapore, a decision was made to use established fora to promote external dialogues on enhancing security in the region. To this end, ASEAN would intensify its external dialogues on political and security matters using the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences (ASEAN-PMC). As a first step in implementing the Summit decision, political and security issues were put on the Agenda of the 25th AMM/PMC in Manila.
As a further step in strengthening the PMC process, a Senior Officials Meeting for the ASEAN PMC was held on 20-21 May 1993 in Singapore. It was the first such meeting of Senior Officials from ASEAN, Australia, Canada, European Community, Japan, New Zealand, United States and the Republic of Korea to engage in multilateral political and security consultation. The Meeting agreed to hold consultations at least once a year. A work program was adopted by the Senior Officials to guide their future activities.
As part of confidence-building measures, ASEAN continued to reaffirm its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts among nations. ASEAN initiated the resolution on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia which was adopted by consensus at the 47th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. The Treaty is expected to complement the role of the United Nations as it provides the only regional diplomatic instrument so far for dispute resolution in Southeast Asia. At the 25th AMM in July 1992, Laos and Vietnam acceded to the TAC. On the same occasion, Laos and Vietnam was accorded Observer Status in ASEAN.
During the 25th AMM, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers issued the ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea urging parties to the Spratly Island issue "to apply the principles contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia as the basis for establishing a code of international conduct over the South China Sea". The ASEAN position has been endorsed by ASEAN's Dialogue Partners as it conforms with international norms of peaceful coexistence. Three ASEAN Member Countries (Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines) are among the six claimants of the disputed islands.
Over the years, ASEAN has been playing an active role in promoting national reconciliation in Cambodia. In their joint statement issued on 18 May 1993, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers called on all the Cambodian parties "to live up to the spirit of national reconciliation" and to comply fully with all their obligations under the Paris Agreements. They also reiterated support to the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). The statement was widely welcomed as a timely impetus to the holding of peaceful Cambodian elections on 23-28 May 1993.