The 14th Summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) which finished yesterday was a very exciting meeting, especially for the host, Thailand. It’s not just because several important agendas that really urgent to be discussed among the member countries, but also because this conference finally could be held after three months delayed.
This was an important summit for the ASEAN nations because it came at a time when ASEAN solidarity was being tested with various problems. Ten ASEAN leaders met and discussed a range of issues, particularly about how South East Asian nations will tackle recent global crisis, human right issues and ASEAN transformation based on new ASEAN chapter. ASEAN leaders also discuss bilateral and regional cooperation.
ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pisurawan said the world was taking ASEAN more seriously. This was reflected by the fact the European Union was sending a representative to the ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta and that was likely to be followed by the posting of ambassadors to ASEAN by each of the 27 EU member states.
"The world is excited about ASEAN but it's up to the 570 million of us to make it works," Surin said.
"ASEAN Charter for ASEAN People" is the main agenda of the 14th summit. ASEAN leaders discussed the transformation of ASEAN based on its new charter and regional cooperation to cope with global recession. The charter is an important component in the region's push for a more people-centered organization and achieving the ASEAN Community vision by 2015.
Before the summit, a string of special events related to ASEAN was held in Thailand. Economic ministers from the members of ASEAN met in Phuket, Sunday (22/2). Financial minister of 10 members of ASEAN plus representatives of China, Japan, and South Korea (ASEAN+3) agreed to strengthen regional economic cooperation and mechanism to safeguard against financial crisis.
ASEAN+3 agreed to enlarge the reserve pool of Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI) from US$80 billion to US$120 billion. The fund aimed to ensure regional market stability and to foster confidence in the markets, and would be finalized at another meeting of finance officials this year in Bali, Indonesia.
The regional fund would be used to help members who badly affected by the recent economic downturn. ASEAN members would contribute 20 percent of the pool, with larger economies Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines giving a bigger share. The remaining 80 percent will come from Japan, China, and South Korea.
Economic ministers of all 10 ASEAN member countries also signed the ASEAN economic agreements, which consist ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, Protocol to Implement the Seventh Package of Commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services, ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement, Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Medical Practitioners, Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Dental Practitioners, and Frameworks Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Accountancy Services. The above mentioned agreements will form an important basis in moving ASEAN towards the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 to facilitate free movement of goods, services, investment and skilled labors.
At the Summit, ASEAN leaders also endorsed the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint. It is masterplans to guide ASEAN towards achieving the ASEAN Political-Security Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community by 2015, respectively.
Other events taking place during the Summit include the 4th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit and the 5th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit.
One of the most important agenda in the regional meeting is about unresolved yet human rights issues, such on the release of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who has been held under house arrest in Yangon since September 2003, and the most recent issue about the plight of the stateless Rohingyas.
This summit passed the term of reference for ASEAN human rights body, which gives more emphasis to the promotion aspect of human rights that is easier to be implemented. The term of reference explicitly upholds international human rights standards as prescribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action, and other international human rights instruments to which the ASEAN members are parties.
Astri Istiana Ihsan/Bangkok Post/Bernama/The Star/The Nation/Asean.sec/14aseansummit.com
Diterbitkan di Indonesia Rising/Jurnal Nasional
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