Asean and the European Union as Models of Regionalism for Central Asia

The international political activity of the five Central Asian republics has been determined in recent years by a trend aimed at forming an independent region in this part of the post-Soviet space. The “Central Asian Five” may eventually make an application for international subjectivity, as there is a clearly defined desire to present a united front on global issues and initiatives. The regionalization process launched in Central Asia is closely linked to the practices of transformation into sustainable structures of a number of internationally recognized associations. These include such well-known regional formats as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU). The attractiveness of these two models does not exclude their potential incompatibility with the political culture, traditions, and international priorities of the Central Asian countries in a number of parameters. Unlike European states, which, having become members of the EU, transferred control of most of its processes to supranational structures, the “Central Asian Five” are not ready to give up their recently achieved sovereignty and therefore prefer to coordinate economic, political and international problems exclusively within the framework of national states. Central Asian countries can learn a lot from ASEAN’s experience in regional integration and the creation of mechanisms to protect themselves from external influences. With ASEAN, it seems very promising to create a mechanism for inter-regional dialogue, possibly in the “C5+ASEAN” format. Such a negotiation platform should be based on issues relevant to both Central Asia and ASEAN. This is the creation of free trade zones, as well as conditions for the unrestricted movement of labor, capital, goods, and services. Projects in the fields of energy, transport logistics, countering drug trafficking and the spread of extremism may become important

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