Publication

This report analyzes the legal and diplomatic issues involved stemming from the US' accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in July 2009. The authors overview Washington's motivations and reservations for joining the TAC as well as the TAC provisions and the accession negotiations. They also examine the implications of US membership in the TAC with regards to the right individual of collective and self-defense, the relationship between the TAC and other agreements, and the application of the TAC to US relations with other TAC partners outside of Southeast Asia.