NADI Workshop on the Future Trajectory of ASEAN Cooperation with its Dialogue Partners in the ADMM Plus and the EAS
The NADI Workshop on the Future Trajectory of ASEAN Cooperation with its Dialogue Partners in the ADMM Plus and the EAS organised by the Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS), was held at the Rizqun Hotel, Brunei Darussalam from 22 to 24 October 2012. The Workshop was hosted by Shahrul Nizzam Umar, Director, SHHBIDSS.
Presentations were made on assessing the strategic relations and their implications on the regional security architecture and cooperation, assessment of the challenges faced by ASEAN and ASEAN’s response in future cooperation with its dialogue partners. It was highlighted that Sino-US rivalry has raised tensions in the region in recent years. As such, it was important for the ASEAN to maintain its unity and solidarity to continue to play the influencing role of ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture. While ASEAN countries could pursue their own individual bilateral interests, they should not affect Asean’s pursuit of their common interests at the Asean level. The meeting also agreed on the need to foster closer cooperation between Track I and Track II processes and that both the ADMM Plus and the EAS should continue to be led by ASEAN. The meeting suggested that NADI could be more active and hold more workshops relevant to ADMM track. NADI should hold a retreat in the second half of 2013 to discuss and consider longer term policy recommendations for the ADMM track. NADI to could also brief ADSOM on NADI’s work and recommendations.