the so-called "ASEAN way" has been adopted de facto in the ARF possibly due to the fact that ASEAN initiated the ARF and holds exclusively its chairmanship, primarily because ASEAN was and remains the only accepted interlocutor among the participants. However, some observe that while the features of the "ASEAN way" allowed the ARF process to take off, these same features may have to be rethought if the ARF process is going to be sustained. The "ASEAN way" as it is may not be appropriate for the ARF that involves more diverse states. As Acharya argues, there may be a need for the ARF to develop from the "ASEAN way" its own "Asia Pacific way" with the leaders and policymakers of the participant-states considering the development of a unique identity for the ARF.