東協區域衝突管理機制與角色探討

The Conflict Management Mechanisms of ASEAN

1967年東南亞國協（The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN；簡稱東協）成立，其主要精神在於促進經濟、社會及文化合作，以達到區域安全的共同目標。東協雖然不是一個軍事同盟，但特殊的外交模式及安全價值觀，使其在區域陷入緊張情勢或發生武裝衝突時，扮演一定的衝突管理角色。1999年，東協會員國擴增至10國，地域範圍涵蓋東南亞海域與中南半島，使東協之發展對東南亞情勢的影響也隨之增加。2007年，各會員國簽署「東協憲章」（ASEAN Charter），2008年12月憲章生效，東協運作模式逐漸從非正式諮商性的官方論壇邁向法人建制。2010年，第16屆東協高峰會中，各會員國簽署「東協憲章爭端解決機制議定書」（The Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms），未來東協在區域衝突管理上所扮演的角色，及其對東南亞國際關係與區域安全所產生的影響，值得持續關注。本文綜整東協在不同建制階段，對區域政治緊張情勢或軍事衝突事件所做的回應，以探究其衝突管理機制之發展與功能角色。

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), established in 1967, aims at enhancing regional security and stability through economic, social and cultural cooperation. This article discusses the mechanisms of conflict management in various stages of ASEAN's institutional building. Through functional cooperation and informal consultations, ASEAN has played a role in inter-state conflict avoidance and tension reduction. Its impact on the region's security environment grew with the expansion of membership that included ten states in maritime Southeast Asia and Indochina. In 2007, member states signed the ASEAN Charter. The Charter not only consolidates the Association's regional/international role but also speeds up institutional reforms of the Association and its member states. In the future, ASEAN's role in regional conflict management is likely to increase.