The Centre of Strategic and International Studies – Indonesia (CSIS) held a panel on 1 Sep 2016 in conjunction with their 45th anniversary, moderated by SIIA Chairman Simon Tay. CSIS is a partner think tank of the SIIA in the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies network. Devina Heriyanto summarises points from the discussion in this article published by The Jakarta Post.
The ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) was first proposed by Indonesia in 2003 to balance the Singapore-proposed ASEAN Economic Community. However, it remains lagged more than a decade later as it still struggles to achieve any balance.
APSC was the main topic for a panel consisting of three experts from three different ASEAN member states, in a discussion held to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Centre of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Singapore Institute of International Affairs chairman Simon Tay chaired the discussion between former Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda and founding president of the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies Philippines Carolina Hernandez.
CSIS executive director Philips J. Vermonte said the topic of APSC is fitting since ASEAN will reach its 50th anniversary next year.
The regional grouping has had a significant role since its inception in 1967 and is praised by many as one of the most successful regional groupings for its ability to maintain peace in Southeast Asia. This “relative peace and security” was dubbed by Hassan as “the greatest achievement of ASEAN”. However, the referred to “maintenance of peace” was quickly commented by an audience as the mere “avoidance of conflict.”
Full Article: Going beyond the economy in the ASEAN community [The Jakarta Post, 5 Sep 2016]
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