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The end of colonialism and the decline of Cold War bipolarity mean that the United States and the Soviet Union must find new ways of relating to a Third World that is growing increasingly influential and is seeking ways to be master of its own destinies. Over the past decade and more, there has been a marked growth in regional organizations within the Third World designed to deal with the related problems of solving internal disputes and reducing the role of outside powers in regional affairs. These organizations have mixed records, and some could pose threats to broader global interests, including those of the United States and the USSR. Nonetheless, the trend toward regionalization is pervasive, and in many cases regional groupings can deal with problems that the superpowers no longer can or want to handle. Moscow and Washington must judge each case on its own merits, but their general approach should be to let regional groupings carry as much of the burden as possible.

THE END OF COLONIALISM AND THE DECLINE OF COLD WAR BIPOLARITY MEAN THAT THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION MUST FIND NEW WAYS OF RELATING TO A THIRD WORLD THAT IS GROWING INCREASINGLY INFLUENTIAL AND IS SEEKING WAYS TO BE THE MASTER OF ITS OWN DESTINY. THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED GROWTH IN REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE THIRD WORLD DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH THE RELATED PROBLEMS OF SOLVING INTERNAL DISPUTES AND REDUCING THE ROLE OF OUTSIDE POWERS IN REGIONAL AFFAIRS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE MIXED RECORDS, AND SOME COULD POSE THREATS TO BROADER GLOBAL INTERESTS, INCLUDING THOSE OF THE USA AND THE USSR. NONETHELESS, THE TREND TOWARD REGIONALIZATION IS PERVASIVE, AND IN MANY CASES REGIONAL GROUPINGS CAN DEAL WITH PROBLEMS THAT THE SUPERPOWERS NO LONGER CAN OR WANT TO HANDLE. MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON MUST JUDGE EACH CASE ON ITS OWN MERITS, BUT THEIR GENERAL APPROACH SHOULD BE TO LET REGIONAL GROUPINGS CARRY AS MUCH OF THE BURDEN AS POSSIBLE.

Since World War II, the focus of power in the international labor movement is no longer in Europe. Events, in which American labor has played a significant role, have favored a definite trend toward decentralization and the strengthening of regional organization. This has been secured in part by the establishment of regional (Asian, European, Latin American) offices by inter national federations of unions in specific trades or industries, and in part by the creation of regional organizations in Europe, the Americas, and Asia by the In ternational Confederation of Free Trade Unions. The author discusses some of the problems involved in these trends, the specific difficulties which face the ex tension of the movement to Africa, and the rivalry between the leading world confederations of labor, the ICFTU and the Communist World Federation of Trade Unions.—Ed.

Since WWII, the focus of power in the international labor movement is no longer in Europe. Events, in which US labor has played a signif role, have favored a definite trend toward decentralization & the strengthening of regional org's. This has been secured in part by the establishment of regional (Asian, European, Latin American) offices by international federations of unions in specific trades or industries, & in part by the creation of regional org's in Europe, the Americas, & Asia by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. Some of the problems involved in these trends, the specific difficulties which face the extension of the movement to Africa, & the rivalry between the leading world confederations of labor, the ICFTU & the Communist World Federation of Trade Unions are discussed. AAAPSS.

Regional organizations (ROs), a key component of the global order, have become a significant tool for achieving foreign policy objectives of the member countries. Amidst the prevailing politico-strategic environment, a speckled range of national interests of the regional states and non-regional states has motivated or compelled the states to create, collaborate and participate in the functioning of ROs. India is associated with those ROs that possess objectives convenient in pursuit of its national interests and also identical to its foreign policy targets. In this context, this article argues that India's policy towards ROs is shaped by the Cold War and post-Cold War developments along with the emerging strategic and security environment in the twenty-first century. These developments have created a divergence or convergence of India's preferences and beliefs with other countries and have determined its participation in the ROs. It is participating actively in the functioning of ROs in pursuit of its national interests in diverse arenas. The ROs, especially South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and even European Union (EU) and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) are the key instruments for India to achieve the objectives of respective Neighbourhood First Policy (NFP), Look East Policy (LEP), Act East Policy (AEP), Look North Policy (LNP), Connect Central Asia Policy (CCAP) and Indo-Pacific Vision (IPV) frameworks of its foreign policy towards South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Indo-Pacific and the globe. Apart from economic, strategic and security cooperation in the regional context, the ROs can help India in bolstering its image and status as a key power in global affairs.