Pacific Security: scrap the "Quadrilateral Dialogue" in favor of "Minilateralism" #SouthChinaSea

 

"We can achieve our aim – interoperability of our forces – without an upfront quadrilateral security dialogue," says Dr. Ghosh. "We can do it with separate bilateral and trilateral arrangements more subtly, with finesse."

 

In the light of India's reservations, such 'minilateral' mechanisms "are actually much more effective" than a four-way arrangement restricted by a lowest common denominator, says Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at Australia's National University in Canberra. "There has been much more profound cooperation – high-level exercises and sensitive intelligence sharing" than would have been possible in a "quad," he adds.

 

That regional approach also "sends signals to China that its behavior is obliging [its neighbors] to strengthen security relations with each other and with the US," Prof. Medcalf says.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2016/0522/With-eye-on-South-China-Sea-China-s-neighbors-weave-new-web-of-security