Hand Book of Asean and Regional Cooperation: 12th Summit and Beyond

This book gives overall picture of the "Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN),: its recent programmes,  plans of action, roadmaps, protocols and global partnership initiatives, thus setting out a comprehensive future strategy for the region. The implementation of the strategy continues along these suggested guidelines for various priority sectors at national, regional and global levels. To facilitate readers. Identified. First category includes national sectors such as transport, travel and tourism, with focus on automotive industry, air travel, etc. Second category focuses on resource-based sectors such as fisheries, agro-based, rubber-based and wood-based industries. This third and the final category includes other socio-economic and industry oriented sectors such as e-ASEAN, electronics, textiles, apparels and healthcare. The countries belonging to South East Asia, including Brunei Darussalam, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia/Kampuchea, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, have a total population of more than 512 million. Three countries, namely Burma, Cambodia and laos are Classified by the UN as least-developed Countries. In politico-security terms, the increased stability of the region is due to the efforts of the ASEAN Forum. In economic terms, the ASEAN Countries form about 2% of the world’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP). The region is a major trade and investment zone for many developed nations and regions of the world such as USA and EU, and hence a basic background information has been provided herein. Regional cooperation initiatives in the said region have been quite substantial, particularly since the establishment of ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) in 1967. This "Handbook of ASEAN and regional Cooperation: 12th Summit & Beyond" provides readers with an introductory overview of contemporary situation with respect to making ASEAN a successful body. The upcoming 2007 Cebu ASEAN Summit in Philippines has been discussed including its agenda, plan of action and future vision of co-operation among ASEAN Community by 2020. The agreement reached at 2005 Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Summit has also been documented and reflected upon. The 2004 Valentine ASEAN Summit has been covered in detail with an outline of "Action Programme" for the coming future. The ASEAN+ and the community’s socio-cultural and security plan of action have been dealt with comprehensively. The handbook also covers in a great length the priority sector’s integration issue and outlines required strategy, in particular, against trafficking in women and children. Besides, it focuses on the dispute settlement mechanism practiced in cases of bilateral or multilateral disputes. As such a general analysis gives readers a chance to evaluate the value of ASEAN and their interaction pattern globally. Special mention has been made about ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-Korea, ASEAN -China and ASEAN-Russia relationship. The extent and pattern of cooperation between ASEAN and South Asia, especially SAARC (South Asian Association for regional Cooperation) and India as well as ASEAN and the European Union have also been discussed. The obvious interdependence with other major nations and regions of the world and the emerging partnership, henceforth, have been the major concerns of this work.