FURTHER ACCELERATION TO REALISE ASEAN COMMUNITY

From Jamaluddin Muhammad

HANOI, April 10 (Bernama) -- The just-concluded 16th Asean Summit has
accelerated the momentum for the 10-nation regional grouping to turn its vision
of becoming an Asean Community by 2015 into reality.

Leaders attending the two-day summit which ended Friday took note of the
progress and shortcomings in implementing the roadmaps in their own countries.

The roadmaps adopted during previous summits outline the plans of action in
building the Asean Community premised on three pillars of cooperation -- Asean
Political-Security Community, Asean Economic Community and Asean Socio-Cultural
Community.

Asean has to show that it can be a role model regional grouping, succeed and
can ensure the prosperity of its community, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib
Tun Razak.

"All efforts must be made to turn the vision into reality so that Asean's
image and relevancy can be taken to a new level," he said.

One significant outcome of the summit was the setting up of the Asean
Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children.

The commission, among others, aimed to ensure justice and fairness for the
two groups which represent about 50 per cent of the Asean population of 550
million people.

Last year, the Asean Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights was
established to protect human rights and fundamental freedom of the peoples of
Asean.

All these contribute to the well-being of the Asean Community based on
Asean's own mould.

The awareness campaign has to be stepped up in instilling the "we" feeling
in creating a greater sense of belonging to the Asean Community while protecting
the cultural identity and diversity.



Two statements by the Asean leaders, on sustained recovery and development
and joint response to climate change, were issued during this summit.

Asean economic integration is set to advance this year with the coming into
force of the two key agreements liberalising movement of trade and investment in
the region.

The Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) will be implemented next month
and the Asean Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), by October.

ATIGA, which was supposed to take effect on Jan 1 this year as part of the
Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA), could not materialise as Thailand and the
Philippines have yet to sign the pact due to differences over the import tariffs
on rice and sugar.

However, the issue was settled when they inked the document during this
summit while Indonesia agreed to ratify the ACIA soon.

With the conclusion of the 16th Asean Summit Friday, Asean needs to walk
the talk in promising a better future for its community in Brunei, Indonesia,
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and
Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA



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