5 ASEAN Political Cooperation: From The Extradition Agreement To The Peace Zone

YOGYAKARTA - The Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) is a geopolitical and economic organization of countries in the Southeast Asian region that was founded in Bangkok on August 8, 1967.

Quoted by VOI from the official website of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday, April 22, 2021, the objectives of establishing ASEAN include:

- Accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the Southeast Asian region

- Promote regional peace and stability;

- Increase cooperation and mutual assistance for common interests in the economic, social, technical, scientific and administrative fields;

- Maintain close cooperation among existing regional and international organizations;

- Increase cooperation to advance education, training and research in the Southeast Asian region.

Since its establishment in 1967, ASEAN has continued to seek cooperation in various fields, including politics. So what are the forms of cooperation? Here we present the information!

1. Extradition treaties between countries in the ASEAN region

This cooperation is made as an effort to eradicate trans-border crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism, human trafficking, illegal fishing to money laundering crimes.

Through this agreement, countries in the Southeast Asian region can work together to return suspects to their home countries to maintain political stability in ASEAN.

2. Dispatch of Ambassadors and Consulates

Ambassadors can be defined as representatives of the state in politics and government. Meanwhile, the consulate is a representative in the trade sector or others.

Ambassadors and consulates are urgently needed so that they can become representatives of the country in discussing and carrying out their participation in political stability in ASEAN.

3. Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Agreement

The Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone Agreement was signed at the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on December 15, 1995.

This agreement aims to completely disarm nuclear weapons and promote international peace and security.

The Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Agreement also aims to protect countries in the ASEAN region from the dangers of environmental pollution, radioactive and other dangerous substances.

4. Treaty of friendship and cooperation

Quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation was signed in 1979. This treaty aims to create a stable political situation in the Southeast Asian region.

The Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation regulates the mechanism for peaceful settlement of conflicts between countries.

5. Peaceful, free and neutral regional cooperation

Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) is a cooperation signed by ASEAN member countries to keep each country peaceful.

The word peace has a meaning; that every country has the right to take all actions freely but does not deny signed agreements.

Meanwhile, neutral means that ASEAN countries are not involved in the interference and conflicts that occur in other countries.