Iran, Tehran, 20 August / Trend , corr R. Azadbaksh, S. Ilhamgizi/ Though the proposal by Iran to establish Asian Union seems to be possible, the various conflicts in the region, problems on borders and West's interference into the internal affairs of these states casts doubts on the establishment of this union.
"In order to establish the Asian Union, all western states of the continent should put an end to all conflicts following the example of the eastern states of the continent," Hossein Tahiri, the expert and researcher of Iran on Asian affairs said to Trend .
Iran's ISNA news agency reported that the Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said on 13 August during his meeting with the cultural figures of Iran living abroad that there is a need to establish an Asian Union in order to develop an existing potential in the Asian continent. Minister said that Asia is a strategic support for Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian expert Tahiri said China and Iran, as a second and fourth states accordingly, who consume world energy most of all, need large oil and gas reserves in the west of Asia. "The need of these states for energy will further necessitate the establishment of the Asian Union.
"China is becoming the largest trade partner of India and from this point of view it will replace US in India. In other words, US will leave Asia silently," Tahiri said.
The Turkish expert on Asian affairs Irfan Sapmaz believes the proposal to establish Asian Union is not real.
"I do not think the Asian states will respond positively to proposals by Iran," Sapmaz said to Trend from Istanbul.
The expert believes that the steps which the Asian states, especially former Soviet republics will have to take for the establishment of the union will create problems for them. The expert attributed it to the fact those former soviet republics trying to recover on their own after attaining independence, maintain balance between US and Russia, US and Iran, West and Iran, West and Russia and they are always careful about this balanced policy.
The other Iranian expert and professor of Tehran University Musa Bagiri believes that if Asian states carry out joint regional and international programs in favor the continent, it will possible to establish the Union, to achieve economic and trade successes and achieve peace and security on the continent.
"The Asian Union may be established on the basis of the European Union," Bagiri said to Trend .
In spite of various problems between Asian states, the states in the region possess a big potential to take steps to establish this union, expert said.
Tahiri pointed to several Asian states such as Japan, Korea and Indonesia and stated that it is important to achieve common interests to create this union.
"The experience of Europe indicates that the best way of resolving inter-continent conflicts is the implementation of joint economic programs," Tahiri said.
According to Bagiri, the establishment of the Asian union has been desired by the states on this continent for a long time.
According to Sapmaz, the idea to create this union appeared because of the concerns of official Tehran over the future threat from US. "Therefore, Iran seeks new supporters because of this concern," Sapmaz said.
"Iran tries to gain support of those states that have problems with US or West. Tehran expects support of mainly Muslim states of Asia concerning the creation of this union," the Turkish expert said.
"I think Iran's proposal is inappropriate as the Asian states pursue a balanced policy toward West," the Turkish expert said.