The Importance Of Regionalism In ASEAN

Another important measure was the establishment of autonomy that ASEAN careful insisted. One of the major points of contention and constrains on regionalism in Southeast Asia since the Second World War had to do with the dependence of the regional countries on extra regional powers for protection against internal as well as external threats.

Regarding the doctrine of non-interference, one of ASEAN's main points was the doctrine of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states. Several examples of non-interference in ASEAN may be found during the Cold War period. For instance, deference to the principle of non-interference was a reason for ASEAN's refusal to address the genocide acts of Pol Pot regime during 1975-78 (Brunetau, 2010).

Thailand, signed the Bangkok Declaration on 8 August 1967 and formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Since then, the regional organisation has expanded to its current membership of ten. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, just six days after its independence. The end of the Cold War, however, led to a major expansion in the late 1990s. Vietnam became a member of ASEAN on 28 July 1995; Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997; and Cambodia on 30 April 1999. The Bangkok Declaration of 1967 adopted seven aims and purposes for the organisation. These are: a) economic growth, social progress and cultural development; b) regional peace and stability; c) economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative collaboration; d) mutual assistance in training and research; e) collaboration in agriculture and industry, trade, transportation and communications and the improvement of living standards; f) promotion of Southeast Asian studies; and g) co-operation with regional and international

The end of the Cold war marked also the two decades of existence of the organization, characterized by the absence of open confrontation and war amongst its members. ASEAN had also burnished its diplomatic credentials during the 1980s through its role in the settlement of the Cambodian crisis following Vietnam's 1978 invasion and occupation of Cambodia. As a result, ASEAN entered the 1990s with a reputation as one of the most successful regional organizations in the developing world. ASEAN, however had to face now new problems and in 1992 in Singapore ASEAN launched two key proposals to regenerate the organization and to meet the emerging challenges posed by the globalization of the world economy and the uncertain regional strategic environment (Nesaudurai,