382 



proximately 150 river basins straddle international boundaries, and together they 

 cover almost one-half or the world's land surface, excluding Australia and 

 Antarctica. Some of these rivers could be utilized for the production of hydro- 

 electric power, the provision of water for irrigation or domestic and industrial 

 uses, the improvement of navigation, or the control of floods. Despite these 

 potential benefits, however, only a few of the world's international rivers have 

 been developed. 21 



Another study suggests that the United Nations has a "vested interest" 

 in regionalism as an alternative means of peacekeeping, instead of 

 the use of international military forces. The latter means, this study 

 notes, has not been signally successful. Alternatively, "The precedent- 

 forming Mekong project may thus establish the pattern for new instru- 

 mentalities intended to harmonize international relations through co- 

 ordinated economic development." 22 



Before the judgment can be reached that regionalism offers a sig- 

 nificantly hopeful tool toward the ultimate purposes of the United 

 Nations, further evidence is required of the success of the Mekong 

 effort, and evidence also that the idea strikes a responsive chord else- 

 where in the world. A dedicated enthusiast declares: "The future of 

 Southeast Asia is bound up with the question whether regionalism 

 will develop sufficiently to become a major consideration in the policies 

 of local and foreign governments." Cooperation on a multinational 

 regional basis, he asserts, "better meets the needs of small countries." If 

 this is indeed the case, perhaps it follows that "The systematic 

 development of the Lower Mekong Basin under international aus- 

 pices can help to reduce barriers of misunderstanding and lay founda- 

 tions of goodwill among the four riparian states." 23 It remains to be 

 seen how durable and how extensive this goodwill can be. 



Geography of the Lower Mekong Basin Region 24 



Many engineering opportunities are offered by a huge undeveloped 

 river in a region suffering alternately from too much and too little 

 water, where the low incomes characteristic of subsistence agricul- 

 ture are almost universal. These opportunities have been persistently 

 sought by leaders in the nations of the Lower Basin, by the regional 

 organization of the United Nations serving the area, and by many 

 volunteer groups and individuals who have contributed their resources 

 for this purpose. It may serve a useful purpose to describe here the 

 physical and political setting, the geography of the Basin, and the 

 history of the nations that occupy it. 



The region of concern embraces the countries of Laos, Cambodia, 2 "' 

 Thailand, and Vietnam, usually referred to as the "Riparian States."' 



21 W. R. Derrick Sewell and Gilbert F. White, "The Lower Mekong," International Con- 

 ciliation 558 i May. 1966) : p. 1. 



Victor J. Croizat, "The Mekong River Development Project: Some Geographical, 

 Historical, and Political Considerations," Paper P3616 (Santa Monica, Calif. : Hand Cor 

 poratlon, June 1967 i 

 » Russell n Infield, professor of political science, University of Michigan. C. Schaaf 



Plfleld, The Loioei Mekong: Challenge to Cooperation in Southeast Isia, pp. '.•. 56, 

 -'A considerable literature lias been produced dealing with aspects of the Lower Mekong 

 Basin. Sources for information in this section were: Sewell and White. "The Lower 

 Mekong"; U.S. Corps "i Engineers ami the Tennessee Valley Authoritj under 'he direc- 

 tion of the U.S. Agency for International Development, The United Xations Atlas o] 

 ft i. Economic, mni Social Resources of the Lower Mekong Basin (New Vork : United 



fati , September 1968), 157 pp.: Willard A. Hanna, "The Mekong Project," Southeast 

 Asia Efteldstaff Reports xvi, Numbers 10, 11, 1-. l".. 14, and 10 (New York: Amer- 



ican i , vrsities Field Staf) Reports, .Inly September, 1968) ; Schaaf and Fi field, 77c Lower 

 Mekong: ami Victor Croizat, 77m- Mekong River Development Project. 



lip- authorities of the former kingdom of Cambodia declared their nation the "Khmer 

 Republic" on October 9, 1970, 



