Is the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) merely a talk shop? What have been its achievements and dissapointments five years after its inception? Should ASEAN continue to lead it? Is the ARF still relevant? At the heart of these questions is the urgent issue of developing an architecture to manage peace and security in the post-Cold War Asia-Pacific. This volume brings together expert analysts and commentators from outside of ASEAN to provide a timely and informed evaluation of the progress of the ARF and its future prospects.

The papers in this volume were originally presented in a two-day seminar on “The Future of the ARF” organized by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) in April 1998. They have been revised extensively for publication. The need for the ARF was not the issue at the Singapore gathering. Most of the paper writers and participants at the seminar agreed that if the ARF had not existed, it would probably have to invented. The germane issues—for now and the future—include keeping up the momentum of achievements; movements in the direction of Preventive Diplomacy; the question of stewardship of the Forum; stronger linkaged between Tracks I and II, and membership criteria. The results of the discussions over the and a lot of issues are contained in this volume.