Creating an Arms Control Mechanism in North East Asia: The Application of the European Security Co-operation Regime

摘要

There has been no enthusiasm for regional arms control in North East Asia except for that demonstrated by the Sino-Soviet arms control agreement. The regional powers have expressed little interest in multilateral negotiated arms control mechanisms and structures similar to CSCE, CBMs and CFE in Europe. They each have a different perspective on regional arms control. The Soviet Union took initiatives in the past, and China to some extent still has a positive attitude, while the US and Japan are very reluctant to enter into regional arms control talks. Unlike Europe, as seen from the case of the Sino-Soviet border treaty, arms control and confidence building has been made at the bilateral level rather than at the multilateral negotiated-arms control level. It is true that unlike Europe the security situation in the region does not generate the same urgency to engage the reluctant countries in arms control talks. Even in the absence of negotiated regional arms control agreements, relative stability has been maintained. East Asia has traditionally been a region of US dominance in alliances and in military power. Because of the certainty of the US security commitment, the regional countries' threat perception has been remote rather than immediate. It may also be said that in the current climate of relaxed tension, there is no imperative to a speedily negotiated arms control agreement, since there is no real threat. However, in the long run the alliance security framework of North East Asia that was formed in the context of Soviet power is no longer appropriate to the new regional order. It would be wise for the major powers to start thinking about developing a new framework to fit the new realities and to reflect the trend towards "co-operative security".