Regional Forum for ASEAN (ARF)

Meant to foster ASEAN solidarity for the sake of regional security

Bali Concord II (2003) affirms ARF as:

• main forum for regional security dialogue
• Primary forum in enhancing political & security cooperation in Asia-Pacific region

Most substantial initiatives raised @ ARF comes from non-ASEAN countries

• ASEAN countries lack human or financial resources to propagate their ideas

ARF will progress to preventive diplomacy:

• ASEAN could identify common threats
• ASEAN could propose trade negotiations for ARF's diplomacy to act upon

BCII stresses ASEAN's role as:

1. Primary driving force of ARF
2. ASEAN had put together concept paper for basis of ARF's development