MANILA - A security expert said tensions in the South China Sea may be a catalyst for closer integration among ASEAN countries. But Professor Ruediger Frank from the University of Vienna explained that while building a stronger ASEAN through economic and security cooperation is essential to achieve successful ASEAN integration, he warns against ASEAN member-countries aligning themselves with either China or the US. "Each by each, they are not strong enough to push their own interest. They have to somehow form alliances. Question is - how do you frame that alliance? And if you form it around one of those big alliances like either an alliance with the US or say a regional integration effort around China, this will push you into an inevitable situation of systemic group camp competition like we had in 1990 and that is not necessarily to the benefit of any single country," he said. "A strengthened ASEAN, a coordinated effort not only towards the economy and society but also security between East Asian countries, Northeast Asian countries and Southeast Asian countries is the way out," he added. Frank also believes linking North and Southeast Asia is key to ensuring a cooperative environment in East Asia. He said countries should avoid a Cold War scenario with countries like North Korea and China or risk alienating them and instead find a way to involve them in the ASEAN system. "A future for cooperative environment in East Asia lies in linking North and Southeast Asia. I think this link so far is there but it's relatively weak and should be strengthened...this is how I think we can diffuse that threat not only by three-way cooperation between North Korea, China and Japan or including the US and Russia but make North Korea part of a team they can trust." ANC NEWS NOW, May 26, 2014
