The Association of South East Asian Nations

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THE reason that textbooks use the European Union as the standard example of a regional organization is that it effectively is the only such successful regional organization. The second most successful organization--the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)--is a long way behind. But the mere fact that it is still around is an achievement; 2007 marks its 40th birthday. This will be celebrated at a summit meeting in Singapore in November. There is nothing comparable in eastern Europe or north-east Asia, and the regional bodies in Latin America, the Middle East and the South Pacific are all well behind ASEAN's evolution. SEATO, the South East Asia Treaty Organization (formed in 1954 with the US, Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines), was dissolved in 1977. ASEAN looks like continuing for many years. On 12 August it won a ringing endorsement from the Chinese Foreign Minister: 'China supports the leading role of ASEAN in deepening regional dialogue and cooperation. We wish ASEAN success in building an ASEAN community based on economic security and socio-cultural pillars as scheduled ... We are confident that ASEAN will be able to make a greater contribution to the maintenance of peace and promotion of development and cooperation'.

ASEAN was created in Bangkok, Thailand on August 8,1967 in response to two major regional crises. First, there were worries among five south-east Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) that Vietnam was a …