ABSTRACT
The prospects for Korean unification and for long-term stability in Northeast Asia both can be enhanced through the creation of a multilateral security mechanism in that region. The case for a multilateral security mechanism needs to be understood, not only in Korean terms but on its own merits. The international system in the Asia-Pacific Region traditionally has been based on bilateral relations. A considerable amount of the energies of the Russian government are and will be absorbed by internal preoccupations and relations with other republics of the former Soviet Union. A stable sub-regional system consisting of China, Japan, South and North Korea, Russia, and the United States should be, and probably will be, guided by some over-arching organizing principle. There are four general options: hegemony; balance of power; collective security; and concert. The accomplishment of the specific tasks in Korea would contribute to the building of an international regime based on the principles of restraint and cooperation.
