Koldunova Ekaterina Valerievna – Ph.D. in political sciences, associate professor, Department of Asian and African studies, senior expert, ASEAN Centre, MGIMO University
The article analyses three directions of transregional relations (ASEAN – EU, ASEAN – US, and ASEAN – Russia). The ASEAN–EU dialogue partnership has been developing since the late 1970 s. It represents one of the first examples of transregional relations between the integration blocks. The USA is a traditional military-political and economic partner of five founding members of ASEAN. Against this background Russia – ASEAN relationship represents a relatively new phenomenon (Russia became ASEAN’s dialogue partner only in 1996). However, as the article argues, ASEAN’s transregional relations with its «traditional» partners (the EU and the USA) are facing now several political, economic, strategic and normative challenges. These challenges arise from the ongoing and eventual structural changes in the economic systems of the EU, ASEAN and the USA. They also originate from the reassessment of the EU as the main reference model for the integrational development as well as from normative contradictions between the EU, the USA and ASEAN in the international affairs. Hyper dependency of ASEAN – US relations on the state of Sino-American relations also represents one of the key challenges. A nascent ASEAN’s partnership with Russia could help to overcome these challenges. Its fundamental difference from the above-mentioned relations is that Russia and ASEAN do not communicate as donor and recipient. Russia as a bigger power does not impose on ASEAN any role model of behavior. However to help mitigate the contemporary challenges this partnership needs a comprehensive conceptual and practical developmental and this work is to be done by both parties concerned.
transregionalism, EU, USA, ASEAN, Russia, «turn to the East».
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