[Download] "Asean's Relations with the European Union: Obstacles and Opportunities (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) (Report)" by Contemporary Southeast Asia # eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Asean's Relations with the European Union: Obstacles and Opportunities (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) (Report)
- Author : Contemporary Southeast Asia
- Release Date : January 01, 2007
- Genre: Politics & Current Events,Books,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 297 KB
Description
Introduction Over the years diplomacy has gradually taken on a more multilateral character and few nation-states handle their relations with other countries and/or groups of countries outside a multilateral framework. This augurs a new ball game not only for diplomacy, but also for defining, pursuing and safeguarding national interests. For European countries as for countries in Southeast Asia, the regional organization of the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) fulfills the role of a vehicle for participation in global politics and economics. A multi-tiered system spanning global, multilateral, regional and bilateral ties has developed as explained by Ruland (1996, 1999a, 1999b). The relationship between the EU and ASEAN is thus not only an academic issue, but is also of vital interest for the two regions. In a wider context, this relationship is an interesting case study of how two regions, each having built an institutional framework to suit their purposes, approach and tries to understand each other. It illustrates how much effort is needed to gauge what exactly the other party thinks--especially when operating outside the well known national box and looking across the table at a number of nation-states choosing to act in common instead of individually. The EU and ASEAN are well placed for an analysis focusing on how difficult it actually is to bring about mutual understanding because history, experience and traditions open the door for easy reciprocal understanding and yet it has proved difficult to move from talk to substance.