General Considerations
Built on a think-tank system, IRSEA's aim is to bring its contribution for promoting the values of Europe in Asia and those of Asia in Europe, being a strong believer in the reciprocal benefits of a consolidated relation between the two continents. Since its founding, IRSEA has been working for a more robust interaction between Europe and Asia, knowing that the most important factor to create and develop friendly relations it is the reciprocal knowledge of each other. Our FOCUS-ASIA section is meant to promote this very purpose, particularly throughout the young generation.
Regional Developments - South-East Asia
As far as Southeast Asia is concerned, one could identify several important developments. The first reference goes to the process of regional integration, launched in 2015, known as ASEAN COMMUNITY, which is based on three pillars: political and security, economic and social and cultural, under the motto – one vision, one identity, one community. It represents a great achievement for ASEAN as regional organization of economic cooperation. In fact, ASEAN has become the driving force in the region's political, strategic, economic, social and cultural architecture as a strong chain of dialogue has been established between its partners.
In the Chairman’s Statement of the 32nd ASEAN Summit, held in Singapore, on April 29 2018 it is stated: “We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining ASEAN Centrality and unity in our Community-building efforts and engagement of external partners. We welcomed initiatives that reinforce an ASEAN-centric regional architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based. These initiatives will build upon ASEAN-led mechanisms including the ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three (APT), East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus). We look forward to further discussion on recent initiatives, including the Indo-Pacific concept” (full statement available here).
The rapprochement between ASEAN and the EU is a very significant development with a long and standing substance, as it has served as the basis for the creation of Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), in 1996, which to this day remains the main platform for dialogue between the two continents.
PRESIDENT OF IRSEA
Former Ambassador Gheorghe SAVUICA
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