II. Multilateral - Nongovernmental/Track II Meetings

1. 2nd ASEAN Congress
2. The Impetus for Change in the Asia-Pacific Security Environment
3. ASEAN Regional Forum Track II Conference on Preventive Diplomacy
4. Securing Asian Energy Investments: Geopolitics and Implications for Business Strategy
5. 39th Annual Conference of the International Institute for Strategic Studies
6. CSCAP Comprehensive and Cooperative Security Working Group Meeting
7. Growth, Prosperity, Security, Stability: Prospects for Asia-Implications for Canada
8. NEACD Defense Information Sharing Study Project
9. NEACD Principles of Cooperation Study Project
10. Expanded Senior Panel of the Limited Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone for Northeast Asia
11. 2nd Meeting of CSCAP Study Group on Transnational Crime
12. International Conference on Promoting Trust and Confidence in Southeast Asia: Cooperation and Conflict Avoidance
13. 9th Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues
14. ASEAN Young Leaders Forum
15. 7th CSCAP CSMB Working Group Meeting
16. Asia-Pacific Security for the 21st Century
17. Asia Pacific Security Outlook 1998
18. Informal Meeting of the ASEAN Law of the Sea Experts on the Implementation of Certain Provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
19. SEAPOL's System Compliance Project Workshop
20. 3rd CSCAP North Pacific Working Group Meeting
21. Asia Pacific Agenda Project Yokohama Forum
22. 8th CSCAP Steering Committee Meeting
23. CSCAP-Japan Open Symposium

• 2nd ASEAN Congress. Kuala Lumpur, July 20-23. Organized by ISIS Malaysia on behalf of ASEAN-ISIS in conjunction with ASEAN 30th anniversary. Funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, ISIS Malaysia, Friedrich Naumann Stiftung. Attended by 181 academics, researchers, and officials from Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The theme of the Congress was ASEAN Towards 2020. The conference looked into ASEAN in the next 30 years addressing long-term, strategic issues. Agenda items included ASEAN Towards 2020: Strategic Goals and Critical Pathways; A Prosperous ASEAN Community: Future Directions; ASEAN's International Competitiveness; ASEAN and ARF; Maritime Cooperation in South China Sea; Reflections on ASEAN: Lessons for the Future; A Peaceful ASEAN Community: Milestones for the Future; Uniting the Peoples of ASEAN; ASEAN and ASEM; ASEAN Institution Building; ASEAN, the Sider Region and the World: The Economic Agenda; ASEAN, the Wider Region and the World: the Political/Security Agenda; ASEAN, the Wider Region and the World: the Social Agenda. Contact: Mohamed Jawhar Hassan, ISIS Malaysia, fax: 603-293-9430, e-mail: jawhar@isis.po.my, web site: http://www.jaring.my/isis/
• The Impetus for Change in the Asia-Pacific Security Environment. Taipei, September 1-3. The meeting was announced as "The Inaugural Conference of the Asia-Pacific Security Forum." Organized by the Institute for National Policy Research and co-sponsored by the Pacific Forum/CSIS (Honolulu), Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (Manila) and the Institut Francaise des Relations Internationales (Paris.) Approximately 100 participants including about 60 academics, officers and officials from Taiwan and 40 foreign nongovernmental participants from Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, ROK, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA and Vietnam. Agenda items included: The Security Implications of a Modernized PRC; The PRC, Taiwan and Hong Kong; The Implications of a Modernized PRC for the US and Japan; The Implications of a Modernized PRC for ASEAN and South Korea; Domestic Politics and National Strategy - Japan and China; Domestic Politics and National Strategy - the US, Russia and ASEAN; The Security Dimension of Regionalizm; Cooperation and Alliances in the Asia-Pacific - The Cases of Japan and the US; Cooperation and Alliances in the Asia-Pacific - the Cases of China and ASEAN; A Critical Review of Major CBMs in the Asia-Pacific; Meeting New Demands for CBMs in the Asia-Pacific; A Reassessment of Taiwan's Role in Asia-Pacific Security. Special addresses were given at the conference or to selected conference participants by President Lee Teng-hui; William Perry, former US Secretary of Defense; Vice-President Lien Chan; Premier Vincent Siew; and Dr. Han Sung Joo. 24 papers were presented and are to be revised for publication. Contact: Bo Tedards, INPR, fax: 886-2-501-3101, e-mail: inprpd@ms8.hinet.net.
• ASEAN Regional Forum Track II Conference on Preventive Diplomacy. Singapore, September 9-11. Contact: Jointly organized by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) in Singapore and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in UK, using the network of CSCAP. Co-sponsored by Singapore and UK/EU. The Ministers at the 2nd ARF meeting agreed that where the subject matters at Stage One (Confidence-Building) and Stage Two (Preventive Diplomacy) of the ARF overlapped, these matters could proceed in tandem. The purpose of the conference was to discuss concrete measures which could be adopted by the ARF to advance to Stage Two (Preventive Diplomacy). Sessions included the EU experience in preventive diplomacy; preventive diplomacy in Southeast Asia; Chinese perspective on preventive diplomacy; map exercises; freedom of navigation; enhancing the preventive diplomacy role of ARF; role of the UN Secretary General. Attended by 70 academics and government officials from Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, ROK, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, UN and Vietnam. Contact: Sheelagh Urbanoviez, IISS, fax: 44-171-836-3108, e-mail: iiss@iiss.org.uk, web site: http://www.isn.ethz.ch/iiss/
• Securing Asian Energy Investments: Geopolitics and Implications for Business Strategy. Cambridge, USA, September 11-12. Organized by the MIT Japan Program. Speakers included scholars and energy experts from France, Japan, USA. Agenda items included energy demand in Asia; energy supply; relations between business and government; geopolitical and security issues. Contact: MIT Japan Program, fax: 1-617-253-7002.
• 39th Annual Conference of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Singapore, September 11-14. Hosted by the Institue for Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore and funded by The Lee Foundation, The Nippon Foundation, The Shaw Foundation: Singapore Pools (Private) Ltd, Singapore Press Holdings and the Sino Land Co. Ltd. Attended by about 240 participants from Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordon, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, ROK, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taipei, Thailand, UK, USA and Vietnam. Main agenda items included strategic trends in the Asia Pacific Region; emerging security arrangements and the changing agenda; China and the future of the Asia Pacific region. Contact: Sheelagh Urbanoviez, IISS, fax: 44-171-836-3108, e-mail: iiss@iiss.org.uk, web site: http://www.isn.ethz.ch/iiss/
• CSCAP Comprehensive and Cooperative Security Working Group Meeting. Kuala Lumpur, September 17-18. Organized by ISIS Malaysia. Topics of discussion included Challenges to Environmental Security; Food Security; Globalization and the Retreat of the State; Energy and Security. Contact: Mohamed Jawhar Hassan, ISIS Malaysia, fax: 603-293-9430, e-mail: jawhar@isis.po.my, web site: http://www.jaring.my/isis/
• Growth, Prosperity, Security, Stability: Prospects for Asia-Implications for Canada. Victoria, Canada, September 24-25. Organized by the Institute of International Relations at the University of British Columbia. The conference explored issues on intersection between economic and political and security developments in the Asia Pacific. Attended by 80 academics, researcher, government officials, NGOs and businesspeople. Paper presenters were from Australia, Canada, ROK, and USA. Main agenda items included Geopolitics and Geoeconomics: Is Economic Growth Leading to Enhanced Stability and Human Security in the Region?; State Control over Economy and Society: a Stable Environment for Business and Politics?; Energy in Asia Pacific: Economic and Security Concerns for Canada; Managing Economic and Political Transitions - Indonesia; Environmental Concerns: Strategies for Achieving Results; Changing Roles of the Military in Asian Societies; Managing Economic and Political Transitions - "Greater China"; Changing Regional Roles - the United States, Japan, and China; Transnational Crime: Local Impacts, International Regulation; The Maritime Environment: Sovereignty, Resources and Transit; Managing Economic and Political Transitions - India; Engaging from the Periphery: Articulating a Canadian Role in the Asia Pacific Region. Contact: Brian Job, IIR, fax: 1-604-822-5540, e-mail: bjob@unixg.ubc.ca
• NEACD Defense Information Sharing Study Project. Honolulu, Hawaii, September 29 - October 1. Organized by the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. This is a smaller study project comprised of a subset of the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue participants aiming at developing confidence building. 19 participants. This study project is an extension of NEACD's two-year examination of Mutual Reassurance Measures. The project examined the conceptions of contemporary security relations in Northeast Asia and analyzed the current state of security perceptions and how greater defence information sharing can mitigate growing concern among nations. Contact: Susan Shirk, IGCC, fax: 1-619-534-7655, web site: http://www.igc.ucsd.edu/igccmenu.html/
• NEACD Principles of Cooperation Study Project. Honolulu, Hawaii, October 1-2. Organized by the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. Another smaller study project of NEACD. Contact: Susan Shirk, IGCC, fax: 1-619-534-7655, web site: http://www-igc.ucsd.edu/igccmenu.html/
• Expanded Senior Panel of the Limited Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone for Northeast Asia. Moscow, October 1-3. Sponsored by the Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy of the Ivan Allen College of Georgia Tech University with the cooperation of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences of the Expanded Senior Panel (ESP) of the Limited Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone for Northeast Asia (LNWFZ-NEA). Attended by 31 senior retired diplomats, retired generals and admirals, technical specialists, and academics from China, Japan, ROK, Russia, and USA. This was part of the Center's Northeast Asia Regional Cooperative Security Initiative. The conference participants recommended in "The Moscow Memorandum" steps to create a limited nuclear weapons-free zone in the region and continued research into issues concerning the weapons types to be included, nature of the inspection system and the degree of IAEA involvement, the agency structure to oversee the zone, supplementary legal obligations of all states within the zone. The meeting also identified specific CBMs for further working groups efforts including methods to configure nuclear weapons within the zone to prohibit rapid launch; techniques to ensure accountability of nuclear warheads in the region; studies to review impact of possible theatre missile defense systems in the area; conventional CBMs, and the possible creation of an AsiaAtom to parallel EurAtom. Next meeting will be hld in the Fall of 1998 in either Japan or Hawaii. The 1999 meeting will be in ROK and 2000 in China. (As noted in the Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Special Report on November 28, 1997. Contact: Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development, fax: 1-510-204-9298, e-mail: nautilus@nautilus.org, web site: http://www.nautilus.org/)
• 2nd Meeting of CSCAP Study Group on Transnational Crime. Bangkok, October 10-11. Attended by 30 academics and law enforcement officials from 10 CSCAP member countries: Australia, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, and Thailand. The CSCAP member countries participating in this study group presented reports on research undertaken since the last meeting. Research topics included transnational crime as a security issue; strategic impact of transnational crime; money laundering methodologies and counter measures; background issues relating to illegal immigration in the Asia Pacific region; technology crime; proliferation and smuggling of light weapons within the region; factors which might lead to the expansion or containment of transnational crime within the Asia Pacific region. The meeting also considered initiatives taken at both the international and regional levels to deal with transnational crime problems and a conceptual approach to the analysis and explanation of the transnational crime threats to the Asia Pacific region. Papers produced by the study group will be published. Contact: A. J. McFarlane, Australian Federal Police, fax: 61-6-275-7585
• International Conference on Promoting Trust and Confidence in Southeast Asia: Cooperation and Conflict Avoidance. Manila, October 16-19. Organized by the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies. Attended by 27 academics, researchers, government officials, journalists from Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, USA and Vietnam. Regional perspectives were presented. The paper presenters gave their country perspectives on the issue. Contact: Contact: Malaya Ronas, ISDS, fax: 632-921-1436, e-mail: isdsphil@cnl.net
• 9th Hokkaido Conference for North Pacific Issues. Sapporo, Japan, October 21-23. Held at the International Conference Hall, Hokkai Gakuen University. Organized by the North Pacific Region Advanced Research Center (NORPAC) and the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA). 25 participants from 7 North Pacific countries: Canada, China, Japan, Mongolia, ROK, Russia, and USA. DPRK was not represented on this occasion. Participants were from universities, research institutes, and foundations. Main topics were economic and security issues in the North Pacific, with a major emphasis on developments on the Korean peninsula. Contact: NORPAC, fax: 81-11-832-7577.
• ASEAN Young Leaders Forum. Singapore, October 25-26. Organized by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs on behalf of ASEAN-ISIS and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. Attended by about 25 participants from ASEAN countries. The theme of the conference was challenges of ASEAN 10 and the participants presented their country perspectives. Contact: Betty Chin, SIIA, fax: 65-733-6217, e-mail: siia@pacific.net.sg
• 7th CSCAP CSMB Working Group Meeting. Fukushima, Japan, October 30-31. Organized by USCSCAP and co-hosted by CSCAP-Japan. Attended by 9 CSCAP member countries and associate member countries, government officials and a scholar from Taiwan. The meeting focused on nuclear energy-related issues and concerns as part of the IWG's investigation of the PACATOM concept. The next meeting will be held in spring 1998 in Washington, D.C. Contact: Ralph Cossa, Pacific Forum/CSIS, fax: 1-808-599-8690, e-mail: pacforum@lava.net
• Asia-Pacific Security for the 21st Century. Honolulu, Hawaii, November 3-6. Organized by the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. Attended by 165 participants from 35 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Brunie, Canada, China, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Island, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue Island, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, USA, Vanuatu and Vietnam. Plenary panels focused on dynamics of the Asia-Pacific from a sub-regional perspective. Four working groups addressed new dimensions in the region with topics such as Political Transition, Social Change and Regional Security; Economic Development and Regional Security; Military Modernization, Technological Change and Security; Transnational Security Issues. Conference publication is available. Contact: Barabra O'Neal, APCSS, fax: 1-808-971-8999, e-mail: baoneal0@hq.pacom.mil, web site: http://www.pacom.mil/apc/
• Asia Pacific Security Outlook 1998. Tokyo, November 8-9. Organized by the Japan Center for International Exchange. Participated by 21 academics and researchers from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, ROK, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, USA and Vietnam. Contact: Maki Noda, JCIE, fax: 81-3-3443-7580, e-mail; makinoda@jcie.or.jp, web site: http://www.jcie.or.jp
• Informal Meeting of the ASEAN Law of the Sea Experts on the Implementation of Certain Provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Manila, November 26-28. Organized by the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, Philippines. Attended by 31 participants and observers from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Agenda items included Baselines, Territorial Sea, Continuous Zone and Straits Used for International Navigation; Continental Shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone; Special Regimes in the South China Sea: Semi-Enclosed, Role of Rocks, Landlocked States, High Sea, and Special Rights; Other Provisions and Cooperative Mechanisms: Common Concerns Among ASEAN Countries; Dispute Settlement: Dialogue Mechanisms and Other Dispute Settlement Mechanisms; Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations: Towards the Convergence of Interests and Understanding of the 1982 UNCLOS. Contact: Malaya Ronas, ISDS, fax: 632-921-1436, e-mail: isdsphil@cnl.net
• SEAPOL's System Compliance Project Workshop. Thailand, December 9-11. Contact: SEAPOL, fax: 66-2-503-3608, e-mail: seapsank@samsorn.stou.ac.th
• 3rd CSCAP North Pacific Working Group Meeting. Makuhari, Japan, December 14-16. Organized by the Japan Institute of International Affairs. The meeting was co-chaired by CSCAP-Canada and CSCAP-Japan. Attended by 38 academics, researchers, government officials from 15 member countries including Australia, Canada, China, DPRK, EU, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, ROK, Russia, Thailand, USA, Vietnam, and experts from KEDO and Taipei. Main agenda items included Recent Developments in Northeast Asia; Border CBMs in Asia; Economic Cooperation and Institutions in Northeast Asia; Current and Prospective Cooperation and Institutions in Northeast Asia; Implications and Prescription: Future of the NPWG. A collection of papers presented at all three meetings of the NPWG will be available in summer 1998. Contact: Toshiya Hoshino, JIIA, fax: 813-3505-7186, e-mail: cscap@po.iijnet.or.jp, web site: http://www.iijnet.or.jp/JIIA/
• Asia Pacific Agenda Project Yokohama Forum. Yokohama, December 16-17. Organized by the Japan Center for International Exchange. Attended by 46 participants included academics, researchers, journalist, foundation representative, government officials from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, ROK, Singapore, Thailand and USA. Main agenda items included Values, Governance, and International Relations; Changing Asia and Japan's Identity; Future Agenda for Research and Intellectual Dialogue in Asia Pacific. Contact: Maki Noda, JCIE, fax: 81-3-3443-7580, e-mail: makinoda@jcie.or.jp, web site: http://www.jcie.or.jp
• 8th CSCAP Steering Committee Meeting. Tokyo, December 17-18. Semi-annual meeting of the CSCAP Steering Committee. Hosted by CSCAP-Japan. Participated by 44 representatives from 17 member countries. Among the agenda items were reports from the four working groups: CSBMs, Comprehensive and Cooperative Security, Maritime Cooperation, North Pacific; report of the Study Group on Transnational Crime; and the proposed study group on the role of the media in building peace and security. Contact: CSCAP Secretariat, ISIS Malaysia, fax: 603-293-9430.
• CSCAP-Japan Open Symposium. Tokyo, December 19. Organized by CSCAP-Japan and supported by the MFA, Japan. The symposium focussed on the subject of advancing confidence building in the Asia Pacific region from the particular perspective of Northeast Asia with a view to creating a new and viable security order in this important subregion. The panellists were from the CSCAP China, DPRK, Indonesia, Japan, ROK, Russia and USA. Contact: Toshiya Hoshino, JIIA, fax: 81-3-3503-7186, e-mail: hoshinot@po.iijnet.or.jp, web site: http://www.iijnet.or.jp/JIIA/