NEW SECURITY ARCHITECTURE: IS ASIA UNITING?

THE Asian continent is diverse but its countries have many similarities. Most of the Asian countries till the middle of the last century had been subjected to colonial rule, foreign occupation and alien domination. By now a predominant number of its people have won independence. There are 53 Asian member states in the United Nations out of a total of 193. Asian countries have either already rapidly developed economically in the past three to four decades or are on their path to development. All members of the Asian family have common stakes in fighting the scourges of poverty, deprivation, terrorism and transnational crimes. There are lingering intra-Asian differences and disputes mostly dating back to the colonial period. What is new is that Asia is becoming conscious of its shared destiny and the need to cooperate to resolve their problems.