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This paper makes a comparative study of regional experience in Europe and South Asia. The European regionalism is far more successful, mainly for three important reasons. One is the commonly perceived threat of the USSR, the second is the common urge for recovery from the losses of the Second World War. The third, but not the least important reason is that the 'regional concepts' of France and West Germany, the two biggest European states, while being different in substance, complemented each other very well. Regional experience in South Asia differs much from Europe. First, there is an absence of a common extra-regional threat. Indeed, most smaller South Asian states perceive India, the biggest regional state, as a threat to themselves. The second problem is that South Asian states continue to emphasize on bilateralism despite the formation of a regional organization. The theory of 'New Regionalism' offers another explanation on regional experiences. Europe is a 'core' region, characterized by political stability and economic dynamism. South Asia, on the other hand, is a 'peripheral' region, affected by political instability and regional cold war. Also, while regionalism in Europe poses significant challenges to the sovereign power of the Westphalian states, the principle of non-interference continues to characterize regionalism in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European security has historically been linked to the expectations-capabilities gap of the European Union (EU) as well as the EU's role as a normative power reflected by the conscious choices made by European leaderships. Treaties have been the defining parameters of the operational ability, cognitive potential and institutional capacity of Europe to play a normative role in world politics. The Arab Spring phenomenon has illustrated the actual potential of the EU to act in unity. It has also shown that when inherent European idealism clashes with the realities of international politics, securitized idealism becomes the only viable choice. The concept bears a value-fact (security) oxymoron and is based on the need to balance security needs with the desire to spill over democracy in the Arab world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]