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DEPARTMENT
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
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COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE ASEAN REGION
Welcome
Remarks of
DR. ALBERTO G. ROMULO
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
On the occasion of the 39th ASEAN Day
Malacañan
Palace
8 August 2006
Her
Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
The Honorable Jose De Venecia, Speaker of the House of Representatives and
President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization;
Colleagues in the ASEAN and in Government;
Excellencies;
Friends:
Thirty nine years ago, ASEAN was born – a child of the Cold War, an offspring of a bipolar world. Its infant eyes were witness to a bloody proxy battle right next door -- between superpowers and competing ideologies.
Ideological divides have long since fallen. Nations where battles were once fought are now united with the rest of ASEAN. Outside powers that once sought dominance, are now ASEAN’s firm partners.
Today ASEAN stands boldly on the frontiers of a new era.
Driven by a desire to strengthen cooperation and build a closer community, ASEAN is close to creating it own Charter. It may have taken almost forty years, but the ASEAN Charter will embody the many lessons it has learned and enshrine the dynamism that has fuelled its amazing growth.
ASEAN is also taking the lead towards building a broader East Asian Community. ASEAN is planting deep roots of regional integration in Asia, the only continent where regional organization is still to blossom.
With a population of about 500 million, a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers, a combined gross domestic product of US$737 billion, and a total trade of US$ 720 billion, ASEAN stands at the center of great opportunities for broader regional growth, cooperation and integration.
Within ASEAN, work continues towards building a regional community.
The Leaders of ASEAN laid firm foundations for building the ASEAN Community with the signing of the Bali Concord II in 2003. The Vientiane Summit in 2004 spelled out the priority measures of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community by adopting the Vientiane Action Program. The Leaders also agreed to negotiate Free Trade Agreements with six of ASEAN’s ten dialogue partners. The Kuala Lumpur Summit last December pursued the groundwork for a rules-based regime by issuing the Declaration on the Establishment of an ASEAN Charter. In Kuala Lumpur, another step was taken towards bringing ASEAN closer to its people through the holding of a Civil Society Conference. The President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization will also be invited to make a report during the Summit.
In December, the Philippines will host the ASEAN Summit and the East ASEAN Summit in Cebu.
For its Chairmanship, the Philippines has chosen the theme - "One Caring and Sharing Community". The theme carries a significant meaning in moving towards one ASEAN community and in the future, an ASEAN union.
It is vital that ASEAN create a caring environment where we could intensify our efforts in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. The community should be able to share its natural, human and cultural resources for sustained development, such as working jointly in the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity located in the Philippines.
Recognizing the great impact of rising oil prices to our objective of economic integration, enhancing energy cooperation, tapping alternative sources of energy and promoting efficiency in the energy sector will be a priority. A meeting of the leaders on energy security would provide greater momentum towards this end.
The situation in Myanmar continues to be challenging, but provides the opportunity for the members of ASEAN to work even closer together in resolving this within ASEAN.
The Philippines will take over the ASEAN Chair deeply concerned over the situation on the Korean peninsula and the Middle East. This will be an opportunity for ASEAN to continue working with others in addressing these pressing issues.
Terrorism continues to remain a serious challenge to ASEAN security and further cooperation on counterterrorism will be pursued.
Migration continues to fuel the global economy and is an important element of ASEAN’s growth and future. Deeply concerned over the rights and welfare of migrant workers, migration is also a priority concern of the Philippines. This deep concern will be reflected in the Philippine Chairmanship of ASEAN, as the Philippines vigorously works towards the ASEAN Leaders’ adoption of an ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Migrant Workers and the Protection of Each Other’s Nationals.
In these past three years, ASEAN has come to greater realization that its organization has to be rules-based and people-oriented if it is to succeed in building a community that is prosperous, secure and caring. To strengthen ASEAN, the ASEAN Eminent Persons Group, which includes former President Fidel V. Ramos, are working on the Framework for the ASEAN Charter which will be submitted to the ASEAN Leaders in Cebu in December 2006.
By the end of the Philippine chairmanship, all the outcome documents and decisions by the Leaders and the Ministers would reflect the overall theme of a caring and sharing community and result in the following:
1. a people-centered approach in ASEAN integration and community building;
2. effective participation of the youth, family units, civil society, parliament and the private sector of ASEAN’s community building;
3. better understanding of the usefulness of an ASEAN Charter and other initiatives for regional peace and security;
4. enhanced regional awareness and common heritage of the region as may be discovered not only in ASEAN capitals but also in the rural areas ;
5. closer cooperation and understanding between ASEAN with dialogue partners;
6. business and cultural promotion of the Philippines to ASEAN Member Countries, Dialogue Partners and other supporters of ASEAN.
Since ASEAN was founded thirty nine years ago, conflict has given way to cooperation, and confrontation has been replaced by community. Divisions no longer dominate, and in its place are opportunities for greater growth and lasting, meaningful peace.
Thank you and good morning.
/gary
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