Asma Liaqat -1

THE IMPACT OF REGIONALISM ON THE U.N:
AMBIGUTTY OF THE TERM REGIONALISM
BY: BIRGEES SAADAT*

Unfortunately there is a lack of agreement on a definition of Regionalism with the result that the term region has been justified as a geographical area, or a combination of a cultural entity an economic unit and a political division. (1) In international relations a region is invariably an area embracing the territories of three or more states. These states are bound together by ties of common interests as well as of geography. They are not necessarily contiguous or even in the same continent. The out standing examples of far-flung regionalism are North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (2) and South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) which was for the protection of South East Asian countries, but it was dominated by non-Asian states, which formed a majority of its membership. The common Wealth is also frequently classified as a regional organization, although its members are dispersed around the globe. (3)

REGIONALISM AND THE U.N
The relationship between the regional arrangements and the U.N.O has never been clarified. Although the U.N devoted an entire (Chapter VIII) to the subject of regional arrangements, the meanings of “regional arrangements” have been used by the great powers for and according to their interests. Article 51 of the U.N charter opens the way for a great variety of regional security arrangements outside the effective control of the United Nations. The development of the relationship between the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations comprises the proposition that the original project of permitting and encouraging regional agencies to operate within a framework of the United Nations supervision and control has broken down. In late May 1965, the Secretary General U That warned that the peace keeping action by the (OAS) in the Dominican Republic, taken without the reference to the U.N might set a dangerous, or at least embracing precedent. The role of the U.N as an international organization is eroding due to the establishment of numerous regional agencies functioning outside the control of the U.N. Regional organizations like EU and ASEAN are functioning against the purpose of a universal organization. There is economic protectionism in both these organizations and unless the economic concessions can be arranged between these organizations and the underdeveloped areas there is the danger of an intensified economic protectionism that will hinder to the expansion of world trade and thus undermine the U.N. The U.N albeit, its some weaknesses as an international organization, is better than nothing, the smaller states still lookup to the U.N.O for help. If the U.N becomes decentralized due to the regional organizations functioning outside the control of it then the hopes of the smaller states to be helped by an international organization will be doomed to the ground. Actually, the great powers seek security through a series of regional pacts in the guise of economic, social or political co-operation. In this increasingly interdependent world regionalism may create a sense of insecurity among the states if it is not subordinated to the universal organization and this sense of insecurity and lack of trust has always been dangerous to the world peace.

CONCLUSION
The need of the hour is to strengthen the U.N by making all regional agencies subordinated to the U. N and the responsibility lies on the major powers. If Regionalism were closely integrated in to a more universal framework such as provided by the UN it would not be seen suspiciously by the smaller states. Regionalism must operate as an adjunct rather than replacement to the universal system.

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