Srinagar, Feb 20: Renowned scholar of International Studies, Dr Mutthiah Allagappa, on Saturday asserted that Asia had the potential to become the “centre of gravity” in the world.
 Addressing academic, students, and researchers at the University of Kashmir, he said, “Asia was a subordinate region during the cold war period. Today, however, it is an important region comparable to Europe. Its economy began to grow since 70’s. It has the potential to become the centre of gravity in the world in future.”
 Allagappa, who is the Distinguished Senior Fellow at the East-West Centre, Washington D.C, delivered a lecture on “Changing dynamics of power in Asia.”
 Allagappa said China was also emerging in the global political and economic scenario, but was beset with internal problems.
 Describing the United States as a very ‘open country’, he said it was far ahead of other countries in technological, institutional and intellectual advancement.
 “I have observed that no country has the intellectual ferment comparable with that of US. The country may be less influential in future, but will be a major power,” Allagappa, a visiting fellow to many international universities and institutions, said.
 He dwelt at length over the issues like rapid rise of China, emergence of India and the changing dynamics of power in Asia. “Security in Asia during the cold war had local roots, though external powers played a role. Today, however, no conflict in Asia can be solved by external powers but by the Asian powers themselves,” Allagappa said, adding, “The conflicts were intermingled with domestic and regional issues whose dynamics have become important.”
 He said unlike today Asia didn’t have many institutions in the past. “Institutional-base plays an important role in creating norms and rules which the countries follow. This way they are able to influence other countries and regulate their behaviour, when needed,” Allagappa said.
 He exuded optimism that Asia will be a stable region in future. “This is because every individual country in the region wants to emphasize more on economic growth, which leads to peace and ensure domestic legitimacy,” Allagappa said, adding, “Use of force becomes highly costly in the light of changing international relations.”
 The lecture session was presided over by the KU vice-chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi. “The power scenario seems to be shifting from West to East. There the regional groups have a role to play,” he said while referring to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
 He said researchers can research on the amount of role the organizations like SCO can play. Prof Punjabi said there was perhaps need to go for some sort of “decentralization of powers.” “But it has to come as a package and the same can be discussed in SAARC,” he said. In his welcome address, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Noor Ahmad Baba, introduced the lecture and the speaker.
 The lecture session, followed by a question-answer session, was attended by senior KU academics and officials, including the Registrar, Prof S Fayyaz Ahmad and Dean, Academic Affairs, Prof A R Yousuf. Pertinently Allagappa is PhD, International Affairs, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST