Against a background of continuing strife and Cold War rivalries in Southeast Asia during the late1960s and early1970s, ASEAN countries struggled to find ways in which they could attain national stability and socio-economic development. They were aware that despite their desire for both national and collective resilience, their efforts would be undermined as long as external powers kept intervening in the affairs of Southeast Asia.
Against this backdrop, in Kuala Lumpur on 27 November 1971, five ASEAN foreign ministers signed the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) Declaration.
ASEAN Concord
(Bali, 1976)
During this Summit the ASEAN leaders signed three major documents: the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, the Declaration of ASEAN Concord, and the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Secretariat. In particular, the Declaration of ASEAN Concord stated that ASEAN member countries would "strengthen political solidarity by promoting the harmonisation of views, coordinating positions and, where possible and desirable, taking common action".
TAC Treaty of Amity and Cooperation
(Bali, 1976)
Signed at the First ASEAN Summit in Bali, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, established the following principles to which the ASEAN member nations would have to commit themselves:
Admission of Brunei Darussalam
(Jakarta, 1984)
At the beginning of 1984 Brunei Darussalam finally gained complete independence from Britain and was quickly welcomed into the ranks of the ASEAN member nations. In January 1984, during the 17th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta, Brunei Darussalam was formally admitted into ASEAN, raising the number of members at that time to six.
Manila Declaration
(Manila, 1987)
At the Manila Summit,1987 a Protocol amending the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) was signed removing any suggestion that the TAC was a private club, exclusive of others with important interests in the region. The Protocol allowed states from outside Southeast Asia to accede to the Treaty, acknowledging the important contribution to be made to the peace and security of the region by countries outside Southeast Asia..
Declaration on the South China Sea
(Manila, 1992)
Similar to many other parts of the world, the Southeast Asian region faces a number of territorial disputes among its members and other adjacent states. In 1992, such a dispute was beginning to grow in the South China Sea. Recognising that any adverse developments in the South China Sea could directly affect peace and stability in the entire region, ASEAN issued a declaration "urging all parties concerned to exercise restraint with the view to creating a positive climate for the eventual resolution of all disputes". ASEAN also "emphasised the necessity to resolve all sovereignty and jurisdictional issues pertaining to the South China Sea by peaceful means, without resort to the use of force". This is known as the 1992 Manila Declaration on the South China Sea, and represents an example of a clear demonstration of political solidarity among the member countries of ASEAN on a strategic issue of common concern. Later, Indonesia set up an initiative among the parties concerned through a series of workshops, as a confidence building measure.
Singapore Declaration
(Singapore, 1992)
The Singapore Summit of 1992 was the first meeting of the ASEAN leaders following the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall. In Singapore, the ASEAN leaders declared that "ASEAN shall move towards a higher plane of political and economic cooperation to secure regional peace and prosperity". In particular, ASEAN decided to improve its coordination with external countries in order to enhance security in the region.
Establishment of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
(Singapore, 1992)
The policy laid down in the Singapore Declaration paved the way for the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a multilateral consultative group aimed at building confidence among all the countries with security interests in the Asia-Pacific region.
The ARF has taken an evolutionary approach to improving the contacts between countries with security interests in the region. This approach extends over three main stages, as follows:
Treaty on SEANWFZ
(Bangkok, 1995)
The ASEAN Summit of December 1995 in Bangkok was a landmark event, not only in the history of ASEAN but also the annals of Southeast Asia. For the first time ever, a meeting of the leaders of all ten Southeast Asian states was convened
The leaders of all ten countries signed the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ). The Treaty, which came into effect on 27 March 1997, is ASEAN's major contribution towards general and complete nuclear disarmament.
Admission of Vietnam
(1995)
Vietnam joined ASEAN in July 1995, becoming its seventh member. This historic event, demonstrating ASEAN's ability to move with the times, marked a significant shift away from one of the Association's original aims, namely as a defence against the perceived "communist threat". In addition, the admission of Vietnam generated further momentum towards the integration of the rest of Southeast Asia into ASEAN.
Admission of Laos and Myanmar (1997)
Laos and Myanmar were admitted as members of ASEAN at the 30th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Subang Jaya, Malaysia in July 1997, bringing ASEAN one step closer towards realising the dream of the ASEAN founding fathers for an association embracing all ten nation states of Southeast Asia. Cambodia enjoys an observer status in ASEAN with a view to eventual membership. However, the unfortunate events that unfurled in early-July 1997 leading to a breakdown in the coalition between the two prime ministers in Cambodia, resulted in admission being delayed. Hopefully, the delay will only be short-lived, and with the final admittance of Cambodia, the vision of ASEAN's founding fathers will finally become a reality.