Non Interference In Cold War

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Regarding the doctrine of non-interference, one of ASEAN's main points was the doctrine of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states. Several examples of non-interference in ASEAN may be found during the Cold War period. For instance, deference to the principle of non-interference was a reason for ASEAN's refusal to address the genocide acts of Pol Pot regime during 1975-78 . Concerning the question whether ASEAN would include a military arrangement, at the founding Bangkok meeting, ASEAN saw no immediate prospect for an ASEAN defence arrangement. Moreover, ASEAN's rejection of a military pact was maintained in response to the emergence of a strong Soviet-Vietnamese security partnership and a Soviet naval presence in the region…show more content…
Thailand, signed the Bangkok Declaration on 8 August 1967 and formed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Since then, the regional organisation has expanded to its current membership of ten. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, just six days after its independence. The end of the Cold War, however, led to a major expansion in the late 1990s. Vietnam became a member of ASEAN on 28 July 1995; Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997; and Cambodia on 30 April 1999. The Bangkok Declaration of 1967 adopted seven aims and purposes for the organisation. These are: a) economic growth, social progress and cultural development; b) regional peace and stability; c) economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative collaboration; d) mutual assistance in training and research; e) collaboration in agriculture and industry, trade, transportation and communications and the improvement of living standards; f) promotion of Southeast Asian studies; and g) co-operation with regional and international…show more content…
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, ASEAN took steps to develop a free trade area. At the Singapore Summit in 1992, ASEAN decide to create an ASEAN Free Trade Area. (AFTA). Implemented on 1 January 1993, AFTA was an agreement aimed at boosting trade amongst ASEAN members. Among its many benefits, the AFTA Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme was the main mechanism for reducing tariffs and thereby, according businesses price competitiveness for their goods. Apart from AFTA, ASEAN also undertook a number of new initiatives to promote regional economic cooperation in the 1990s. These measures included cooperation in securing greater foreign investment through the creation of an ASEAN Investment Area, an ASEAN Investment Plan and an ASEAN Investment Code. Furthermore, cooperation in intellectual property matters would be encouraged through the creation of an ASEAN Patent System and an ASEAN Trademark

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