Association for Regional Cooperation
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Association for Regional Cooperation | |
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Coat of arms
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Motto: "Unity, Strength, Progress" | |
| Headquarters |  Antiytia, Anikatia |
| Working language | |
| Type | Political and Economic Cooperation |
| Membership | |
| Leaders | |
• Chairperson | Lam Ngoc Trieu  |
• Secretary-General | Cho Jeong-se |
• Deputy Secretary-General | Vyasa Patkar Template:Country data Keralam |
| Establishment | |
• Ratification of the Treaty of Khả Lễ | July 20, 2005 |
Website www.arc.org | |
The Association for Regional Cooperation (Abbreviated ARC) is a multinational a political and economic organization. It was formed by the Treaty of Khả Lễ signed in 2005 by the leaders of Anikatia, Keralam, Kolenomai, and Lion's Rock. The organisation's stated aims are accelerating economic growth, and social progress among its members, protection of regional peace and stability by economic cooperation, achieved through a variety of means ranging from cultural exchange to economic treaties and documents. It has set up a committee of foreign ministers that can meet for consultation between member nations.
Purpose
As set out in the ARC Declaration, the aims and purposes of ARC are:
- To accelerate economic growth, cooperation, social progress, and cultural development in the region.
- To promote regional peace and stability.
- To promote collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest.
- To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities.
- To collaborate for the better utilisation of agriculture and industry to raise the living standards of the people.
- To promote Oriental and Far-East studies across the globe.
- To maintain close, beneficial cooperation with existing international organisations with similar aims and purposes.
History
The ARC roots can be found in the ideas of Pan-Orientialism, a political ideology which defined elements of society, culture and history common to the nations of the Far East. It aimed to use commonalities, for example, the principle of collectivism, to unify people for their economic and social good and to create a pan-Oriential identity. This contrasted with perceived Western ideals of the universal rights of man.
After the success of the communist revolution in Anikatia, the then-national leader Kai Seul-ki and the rest of the national leadership sought to actively and aggressively pursue a foreign policy in which all communist revolutions occurring in Anikatia's neighbors especially those within Eastern Pardes are to be promoted and supported. This was part of Kai's vision to abolish the western colonial hegemony in The Far East. His goals were to abolish all western imperialism and vanquish neocolonialism.
The region was profoundly affected by the Cold War during the Kolenomese War of Liberation, which saw the continent split among ideological lines and ravaged by proxy wars. The Seulbyeni Islands Crisis was a shock to the region and inflamed tensions on both sides of the Cold War however a bloodless political coup in the DSRA allowed a peaceful resolution of the crisis and the landmark treaty with Arthurista paved the way for economic liberalisations and reform creating a economic boom in the Far East. The 2000 Far Eastern financial crisis was a second shock to the stability of the region and led to the fall of the DSRA, collapse of the Otterup Pact, isolation of Kolenomai and end of the Cold War leaving the region unstable and directionless.
In the economic and political aftermath, regional leaders sought to rebuild regional cooperation with the creation of a new organisation as a solid base on which to foster greater economic unity and political cooperation. Anikatia was one of the nations that led a push for a creation of a new organisation to reestablish stability and confidence to the region along with greater economic unity and trade.
The head of the Institute for Global Strategic Affairs - Far East, Kojima Teiljo identifies the creation of the ARC as motivated by a lack of representation on the global stage and perceived poor treatment of Far East nations during the 2000 Far Eastern financial crisis. Along with a desire for greater economic development and participation within the region.
Professor Taj Dayal of International Relations and Economics at the Keralam Royal University has characterised the creations of the organisation as a way to counterbalance CDI and RCO influence in the region, particularly regarding Keralam which feels threatened by the RCO influence growing in Madrastan.
Yet Professor Taj Dayal cites the diverse political systems present in the grouping, including many young democracies, as a barrier to far-reaching co-operation outside the economic sphere. He also asserts that in the absence of an external threat to rally against and lack of lack of resources within the organisation are seen as a sign of weakness.
He states that ARC the lacks a cohesive alternative to challenge the current, Free World-dominated global order. But overall most analysts and international observers welcome the positive actions of members within the region to create a framework for peaceful participation and interactions between nation-states who have historically been ideologically opposed during the Cold War.
Today, ARC provides a basic structure for cooperation within the Far East, aspiring to form a true Far Eastern Community, an ideal of Pan-Orientialism.
Membership
Member States
- Anikatia (2005):
The Republic of Anikatia was a founding member and one of the four main signatories to the Association for Regional Cooperation.
- Template:Country data Keralam (2005):
Keralam was a founding member and one of the four main signatories to the Association for Regional Cooperation.
- Kolenomai (2005):
Kolenomai was a founding member and one of the four main signatories to the Association for Regional Cooperation.
Lion's Rock (2005):
Lion's Rock was a founding member and one of the four main signatories to the Association for Regional Cooperation.
Observer States
- Template:Country data Yakima (2009):
Yakima became the first country to receive observer status at the 2009 Seringapatna Summit.
- Template:Country data Madrastan (2015):
Madrastan was a full member until 2015 when after a shift in policy and membership in RCO led to a focus away from the organisation. As a result, it formally ended its membership although it retains observer status.
Criticisms of ARC
ARC has been criticised for its failures to address widespread issues of corruption, pollution and human rights abuse by members. Some international observers have charged that ARC policies have mostly been rhetoric with little actual implementation. Scholars such as Kojima Teiljo a senior geopolitical analyst at the Institute for Global Strategic Affairs notes the policies of non-interference has undermined the organisations efforts to promote democracy, human rights and transparency particularly in the junta-led nation of Kolenomai. Where international outrage especially by CDI nations at the brutal military crackdowns on unarmed dissidents after they attempted to depose the junta following a long series of riots in Kolenomai. Yakimese Prime Minister expressed doubt about the future of ARC for failing to support the protestors and prevent violence, stating, "What sort of organisation is this one, we talk about democracy, freedom and the necessity of human rights but if we have bloodshed and oppression in one of our member states and this body remains silent?" ARC took no official action in response to the brutal persecution of demonstrators and it rejected any proposals for economic sanctions or suspension of Kolenomai's membership.