Can ASEAN be a succesful regional integration like EU?

Three weeks ago (from Jan 29, 2007), leaders who represents 10 Southeast Asian countries in Philipine, and agreed to promote thier freetrade-based regional integration as much as EU.

Point is if people in these region can be stisfied with this current or not.

ASEAN is trying to make regional economic community as free trade zone by 2015. The issues that ASEAN should overcome are clear: income disparities in ASEAN countries, political/cultural diversity, delay of trade liberlization and good governance and human rights.

According to Haruhiko Kuroda, the president of the Asean Development Bank in Manila, ASEAN "should bridge the income gap before it can even dream of becoming as integrated as the European Union."

His prescription is following below:

1) taking advantage of free trade agreements that had already been seen with each other including other countries in East Asia

2) improving each country's institutions and fighting corruption as the World Bank mentioned (Laos, Vietnam, the Philipines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Myanmar are terrible are the 50 most corrupt states in the world) to collect investment

Burma is a prominent authoritative coutnry in ASEAN region, even though other countries such as Thailand or Philipines are also problematic. Burma's human rights record is a big obstacle for ASEAN integration, which is exaggerated by the Western countries.

Another point is that this economic integration should evetually be "genuine regional solidarity."

It may be true that ASEAN relies on trade negotiation (FTA) too much. "[S]ensible trade policy reforms at home" is essential for economic pregress in this reagion.

Okey, how do you think, folks?

Souce: "Reality intrudes on dreams of EU-like pact for ASEAN; [1R Edition]"
by Carlos H. Conde, International Herald Tribune, Jan 29, 2007