al ▁inter dep end ence . ▁ ▁Research ▁shows ▁that ▁economic ▁integration ▁decre ases ▁the ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁fight ▁and ▁enh ances ▁the ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁interven e ▁in ▁crisis . ▁Mans field ▁& ▁Pe ve house ▁( 2 0 0 0 , ▁p .   7 7 6 ) ▁present ▁strong ▁evidence ▁that ▁“ the ▁combination ▁of ▁P TA ▁membership ▁( pre fer ential ▁trad ing ▁arrang ements ) ▁and ▁a ▁high ▁level ▁of ▁trade ▁is ▁quite ▁likely ▁to ▁disc ou rage ▁bell iger ence .” ▁ ▁Many ▁P T As ▁have ▁become ▁ven ues ▁for ▁address ing ▁political ▁disput es ▁between ▁participants ▁and ▁fost ering ▁co operation . ▁Ob ser vers ▁have ▁widely ▁acknowled ged , ▁for ▁example , ▁that ▁A SE AN ▁has ▁helped ▁to ▁manage ▁t ensions ▁in ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁Mer c ado ▁Comun ▁del ▁Sur ▁( M ER CO S UR ) ▁has ▁done ▁like wise , ▁impro ving ▁political - mil it ary ▁relations ▁throughout ▁the ▁southern ▁cone . ▁( M ans field ▁& ▁Pe ve house , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁p .   7 8 1 ). ▁The ▁reci pro cal ▁nature ▁of ▁this ▁system ▁helps ▁guarantee ▁that ▁economic ▁con cess ions ▁made ▁by ▁one ▁state ▁will ▁be ▁rep a id , ▁rather ▁than ▁explo ited ▁by ▁its ▁counter part . ▁ ▁International ▁invest ment ▁flows ▁ ▁Another ▁area ▁to ▁add ▁to ▁the ▁existing ▁literature ▁on ▁economic ▁integration ▁is ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁militar ized ▁conflict ▁on ▁foreign ▁invest ment .