On 21 February, two experts representing the Japanese Research Institute for Peace and Security (RIPS), Prof. Gen Kikkawa (Sophia University) and Dr. Masataka Nakauchi (RIPS), visited the Polish Institute of International Affairs to discuss topics connected with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and regional security in East Asia.
Participants of the meeting analyzed the OSCE’s contribution to peace and stability in the region, the motivations of member states to adopt OSCE principles and Poland’s role in the OSCE process since the ’70s. The experts debated whether the OSCE model and experience could be properly implemented in Asia to establish a security mechanism in Asia, e.g., under the ASEAN or ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) frameworks. The beginning of this process would be to cooperate with China and other Asian countries to adopt Confidence and Security-Building Measures (CSBM). Currently, the PRC is reluctant to take on multilateral CSBM, preferring bilateral cooperation instead. Furthermore, China’s principle of non-interference could be perceived as a barrier to deep, multilateral CSBM engagement. Experts also discussed the role of the U.S. in the Asia Pacific region, the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the situation in North Korea and China’s relations in Central and East Asian countries.