In spite of Myanmar's “in principle” support for a security community, the method of rule by the country's military regime (and the domestic instability that is a consequence of it) presents a direct challenge to the ability of Southeast Asia countries to integrate into an ASEAN style security community. This is because the achievement of the proclaimed “security community”, along with the level of integration necessary for it, is beholden to the nature of interstate relations within the organization. These interstate relations are challenged, both directly and indirectly, at two levels by the situation in Myanmar. At one level, both traditional and non-traditional security threats challenge the region's security architecture and the potential formation of a security community. At another level, Myanmar challenges elite-level cohesion (collective identity formation) and the operative norms of ASEAN (such as non-interference). This chapter, in dealing with the first level of analysis, focuses on two interdependent issues. The first issue for consideration is how Myanmar challenges the comprehensive security of Southeast Asia. The second issue investigated by the chapter is the manner in which various states — through their bilateral relationships with Myanmar — has enhanced and/or detracted from the security architecture of the region. In a complement to this approach, Chapters 5 to 7 focus primarily on the second level of analysis — the challenge of Myanmar to elite-level cohesion.

SPILLOVER EFFECTS: COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY CHALLENGES FOR ASEAN

Several issues of human security and transnational crime afflict ASEAN because of domestic instability, corruption, and poor state capacity in Myanmar. These non-traditional security issues have all been exacerbated by the long-term instability of Myanmar and they include the trafficking of narcotics, money laundering, the spread of HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation, the rise and flow of refugees, and the associated problem of human trafficking. Additionally, the particular issues of narcotics production, human trafficking, and money laundering are reflective of transnational, criminal communities that can operate across state boundaries. In the context of Myanmar, and in addition to the aforementioned factors, globalization has exacerbated the opportunity for, and the impact of, these transnational criminal activities.