HONOLULU -- Multilateral dialogue seems to be taking on new energy in Asia. Not since 1993 -- when foreign ministers attending the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference held a separate breakfast session to discuss security issues and decided to establish the ASEAN Regional Forum, or ARF, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum -- has there been such a flurry of activity.
Four new high-level Asian multilateral forums have been established in the past few months, even as existing organizations continue to thrive. The ninth ARF meeting convened in Brunei this week, with APEC leaders scheduled to assemble once again in October.
* Boao Forum for ASIA. In April, the first annual BFA meeting took place in Boao, China. Luminaries included Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hang Don. The BFA is aimed at strengthening economic exchanges and cooperation within the region.