Asean Rocks - Singapore Celebrates ASEAN’s 40th Anniversary

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In the middle of the scheme for regional incorporation, the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation is relatively a new concept subject to the tremendous reflection of socio-economic conditions of these regions. The framework for the SAARC programme started on in the early 1980 was created by the specific economic and political developments for the preceding years. Economically, the failure of the North- South negotiations in the late seventies induced many developing countries to explore the possible areas of South-South co-operation. A number of initiatives on regional co-operation were launched at that period. For example, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975 and Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference (SADCC) in 1980 were formed. With the collapse of the dream of an equitable global economic order, many states turned their attention towards their own region. Nearly every continent now has some kind of regional organisation, sometimes more than one.

SAARC is one of such arrangements. Politically, the bilateral atmosphere between India and some of its neighbouring countries deteriorated during 1974-76. As a result, these neighbours started looking for regional and international approaches to pressure India so as to extract accommodation from it on their respective bilateral issues. Bangladesh’s attempt to raise the river-water sharing issue at the UN in 1976, Nepal’s proposal to get itself recognised as a zone of peace and Pakistan’s active diplomacy at the UN in to get South Asia declared as a nuclear-weapon free zone may be recalled here. Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan in 1979 brought about a serious deterioration in the South Asian security situation and created an urgency for getting together in the region. Although it is true that the external pressures to form a South Asian regional organisation were not as great as it was in the case of the European Community or ASEAN, they were not entirely absent or insignificant. Internal or external what ever was the cause the level of urgency for regional co-operation was not equal among the South Asian states.

In May 1980, Bangladesh had mooted the proposal for a South Asian regional organisation after sounding out some small South Asian states. India and Pakistan, the two big powers in South Asia, expressed strong reservations. This hesitancy reveals the existence of heterogeneity among the South Asian states. India was highly suspicious of the proposal and viewed it as a new device to institutionalise the neighbours ‘ganging up’ against India to extract concessions on issues affecting each of them individually. Pakistan feared that any South Asian forum would eventually further India’s interests and legitimise its regional dominance in South Asia. Also, according to Pakistani view, in South Asia economic and political conditions for institutionalising regional co-operation were missing. Both India and Pakistan accepted the proposal for regional co-operation only ‘in principle’. They could accept a regional forum only when it did not seek to undermine their respective interests. Accordingly, it was suggested that unanimity in decisions and avoidance of bilateral and contentious issues should constitute the basic norms of the proposed forum.

Keeping in mind those diverse attitudes, the seven South Asian states (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) formally started their co-operation from their first summit held on 8th December 1985 in Dhaka. They were aware that heterogeneous issues might hinder their co-operation, but for attaining their respective objectives they decided to work together. Their desire for economic emancipation, helped them to start rethinking and reassessing their own resources.

Although the seven South Asian states started their integration, the prospect of SAARC as an effective body for regional integration continues to be viewed with scepticism. When countries in other regions are trying to minimise their differences, it is disconcerting to see that this region (home to half of the world’s poor) remains trapped in conflict and war, sapping its energy and resources that could be diverted to launching an offensive on poverty. In this post-cold war period, and at a time when we are at the threshold of a new century, South Asia should not be out of peace, harmony and development even for a single day. Analysis of differences among the SAARC states and suggesting solution is thus a very important and timely issue.

In the present paper focus will be placed on the heterogeneity among SAARC states and its effect on the regional integration process in South Asia. There are of course some strong commonalties among the South Asian states, for example, their colonial past, a broadly common attitude towards Western countries, common needs development, common needs to alleviate poverty, some similarity in culture, etc. These similarities could be helpful for the states to minimize their differences. And one most positive aspect is that the member states of SAARC are hopeful about their success. In the paper I will also try to show that, if heterogeneity is greater in South Asia, the regional integration will be less effective. In case those differences can be minimized, greater integration will be possible.

The first chapter will give an overview on the general issue of regional integration, including some specific reference to SAARC. The second chapter will focus on heterogeneity among the SAARC states. The third chapter will address heterogeneity in the political field and searching for commonality in this area. The fourth chapter will concern heterogeneity and convergence in economic areas.

Kh. Atiar Rahman
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/the-concept-of-cooperation-in-relation-to-trade-and-commerce-among-saark-regions-335063.html

After WWI, President Woodrow Wilson said, “the highest and best form of efficiency is the spontaneous cooperation of a free people.” Where is the evidence of spontaneous cooperation in our world today? Historically, it seems that the cause of war — Pearl Harbor, Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and September 11th — will catalyze a society and nations to cooperate. Must we have our backs to the wall, or is it possible for a compelling vision to create spontaneous cooperation?
The Critical Question

In 1969, Dr. R Buckminster Fuller (most well known for geodesic domes and Buckyballs) developed a World Game simulation to explore global resources and trends. It posed the critical question, “how do we make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological damage or disadvantage of anyone?” In other words, how do we provide a decent living standard for everyone in an environmentally sustainable way? The part about “through spontaneous cooperation” always remained a puzzle to me. How does positive change happen spontaneously on a global scale?

The premier strategy of Fuller’s global simulation was the interconnection of electric power grids between regions and nations with an emphasis on tapping abundant renewable energy resources around the world. Electricity provides the foundation of our modern society, and power grids act as freeways that deliver the electricity to power our homes, businesses and industry. During the 20th Century, transmission lines delivered electricity from large, centralized plants that burned fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Today, developers of wind, solar and geothermal resources in remote locations are plugging into these expanding grid systems — decentralizing power production while increasing grid integration.

But spontaneous cooperation? Hardly. Any project developer will tell you all the hurdles they face due to regulations, interconnection and siting issues. In the energy industry, the time lag between project proposal to actual commissioning can be 10 - 20 years.

Yet quietly — below the radar of most observers — Fuller’s vision of using power lines to link nations across borders has recently been energized at a pace never seen before.
Nations are linking up

In the past few months, Russia and China agreed to large-scale power grid interconnections that will benefit both economies. Additionally, the Chinese have signed deals with Tajikistan and Vietnam to build transmission lines across their respective borders. The South Koreans have offered to extend their grid into North Korea and modernize the North Korean network as a part of the negotiations to scrap the North’s nuclear program.

In Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan have proposed a transmission line among their states. Calling it a “win-win situation”, the Krgryz Energy Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi stated “we want to bring benefits to the common man because if there is economic activity and prosperity, it will be shared by the people of these countries.” Moreover, all 10 nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have pledged to interconnect the grids of its members.

In Africa, NEPAD (New African Partnership for Development) and the African Development Bank are supporting the Kenya - Ethiopia agreement to supply power to each other. Modeled after the 12 nation South African Power Pool, 14 ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) nations are planning to link their energy grids.

The Middle East has seen an wave of integration. Lebanon will be linked to the regional electricity grid that includes Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Turkey as of the beginning of next year. This interconnection project also involves the joining of Libya and Iraq. Last month, former enemies Iran and Iraq agreed to build four cross-border power lines to transfer 1000 MW of power.

Mexico’s Mesoamerica Initiative plans to integrate the energy grids all Central American nations. The World Bank and the US DOE are partnering with the Central American Integration Secretariat to encourage clean energy development, emphasizing renewables over fossil fuel projects.

Most of these projects have been planned by engineers for years. The economic benefits — load leveling, reliability of supply, emergency backup — are all proven. Yet international transmission requires agreement between ministries of energy and state, financial institutions, local utilities and property owners. Cooperation must overcome the combined barriers of multiple stakeholders.
Emergence through emergency

So what’s happened in the world to cause these nations to work together? Buckminster Fuller said that society will often “emerge through emergency” — because when times are good, any change at all is difficult. For many developing nations the challenge is dire: 1.6 billion people have no electrical services - no refrigeration of food or medicine, clean water or lighting. For the rest of us, scientific consensus on climate change clearly places the cause on our ‘addiction to oil’ for transportation, and burning coal and natural gas for power production.

Today, half the nations on the planet are linked with a neighbor, but half remain electric energy islands. The emergencies of our time: poverty, climate change, peace and population growth are in our face daily. These issues and their solutions transcend political boundaries. National leaders are seeing the benefits of mutual interdependence over trying to go it alone.

Woodrow Wilson spoke of spontaneous cooperation in a post WWI context. Now we’re seeing spontaneous cooperation spread around the world — shaping international relationships from the old “us vs. them” paradigm to a one based on mutual benefit. In power transmission between nations, sharing means having more. That’s synergy — and what’s needed on every continent.

Paul Sterling & Kristin Denton
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/spontaneous-cooperation-decades-in-the-making-79561.html

keyword:

food prices

ASEAN

Greater Mekong Sub-region

 

SINGAPORE, July 23 (Xinhua) — ASEAN and China agreed here on Wednesday to intensify their cooperation in order to meet serious challenges posed by rising oil and food prices, the slowdown of world economy, the depreciation of U.S. dollar, rising trade protectionism and natural disasters, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

 

During the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that China is willing to conduct high-level dialogue with ASEAN member countries and exchange views on bilateral and major international issues, adding that China has decided to send an ambassador to ASEAN.

 

Yang said China will work closely with ASEAN to speed up the establishment of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area.

 

In the area of the environment and climate, Yang said China and ASEAN have identified environmental protection as a key area of cooperation.

 

China, the Chinese foreign minister said, will strengthen its cooperation with ASEAN in implementing the Mekong Basin development programs and projects within various frameworks such as Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).

 

Yang said China attaches great importance to its ties with ASEAN and highly values ASEAN’s role in contributing significantly to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the promotion of common development, adding that China will, as always, support ASEAN’s unique role in achieving the long-term goal of building an East Asian community.

 

Meanwhile, for the part of ASEAN ministers, they expressed their sympathy to China in view of the massive and tragic loss of life in the Sichuan earthquake disaster.

 

ASEAN foreign ministers said great achievements have been made in the dynamic ASEAN-China relations, with mutual understanding and trust have continued to deepen.

 

The ASEAN ministers expressed thanks to China for supporting ASEAN’s integration efforts and agreed to fully cooperate with China in all fields so as to achieve the goal of regional peace and development.

 

ASEAN ministers also said they sincerely wish Beijing 2008 Olympic Games great success.

 

chilhyun
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-ideas-articles/asean-china-agree-to-enhance-cooperation-to-tackle-new-challenges-g-503587.html

thailoverclub.cjb.net

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It wouldn’t be a celebration without some Rock N Roll.  The ASEAN ROCKS concerts at the Hard Rock Cafe feature Wicked Aura, Bamboo, Samson, Clash and Amok 28 JAN - 1 FEB 2007.

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Here’s a video of the celebrations at the Singapore Hard Rock Cafe.  The featured group is Clash As they take the stage, you can see that one guitarist is using a Gibson SG and the other is a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar.  The audience is very receptive and are no doubt swept up in all of the ASEAN 40th Anniversary celebrations held in Singapore. 

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40th Anniversary of the ociation of South East Asian Nations

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