ID :
167604
Sat, 03/12/2011 - 05:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/167604
The shortlink copeid
ASEAN SEC-GEN EXPRESSES SADNESS OVER JAPAN'S QUAKE, TSUNAMI TRAGEDY
JAKARTA, March 12 (Bernama) -- Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan has expressed his "profound sadness" over Japan's worst natural disaster of an earthquake which triggered a tsunami Friday.
"I wish to express my sincere sympathy to the government and people of Japan, one of our oldest, most generous dialogue partners and closest friends of Asean since 1977. My colleagues and I share your sadness and concern," he said in a statement.
Dr Surin said Japan had been quick to support Asean in managing its challenges, natural disasters, pandemics and economic recovery since the Asian financial crisis in 1997 as well as other non-traditional threats.
Asean member states, he said, were grateful and wanted to assist and accommodate Japan as it embarked upon its own recovery and reconstruction after this natural disaster affecting a major part of the country.
"In fact, several colleagues and I were scheduled to be in Japan this weekend to partake in the JICA-Asean Connectivity Symposium and other activities," he said.
The secretary-general also said he hoped that communities in high-risk areas in the eastern part of Indonesia and the eastern seaboard of the Philippines would exercise full precaution and seek guidance from local authorities on steps to be taken, following the tsunami warning issued by the respective countries with coastlines in and around the Pacific Ocean.
"This is a clear reminder that natural disasters can occur anywhere, anytime. Asean will have to expedite its own mechanisms to be prepared for such calamities.
"Our procedures and tools under the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), and the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), must be in place and ready for these kinds of eventualities," he added.
The Asean Secretariat, Dr Surin said, stood ready to coordinate any support, assistance and cooperation as well as private sector contributions for the victims of this "unfortunate situation."
"I wish to express my sincere sympathy to the government and people of Japan, one of our oldest, most generous dialogue partners and closest friends of Asean since 1977. My colleagues and I share your sadness and concern," he said in a statement.
Dr Surin said Japan had been quick to support Asean in managing its challenges, natural disasters, pandemics and economic recovery since the Asian financial crisis in 1997 as well as other non-traditional threats.
Asean member states, he said, were grateful and wanted to assist and accommodate Japan as it embarked upon its own recovery and reconstruction after this natural disaster affecting a major part of the country.
"In fact, several colleagues and I were scheduled to be in Japan this weekend to partake in the JICA-Asean Connectivity Symposium and other activities," he said.
The secretary-general also said he hoped that communities in high-risk areas in the eastern part of Indonesia and the eastern seaboard of the Philippines would exercise full precaution and seek guidance from local authorities on steps to be taken, following the tsunami warning issued by the respective countries with coastlines in and around the Pacific Ocean.
"This is a clear reminder that natural disasters can occur anywhere, anytime. Asean will have to expedite its own mechanisms to be prepared for such calamities.
"Our procedures and tools under the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), and the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), must be in place and ready for these kinds of eventualities," he added.
The Asean Secretariat, Dr Surin said, stood ready to coordinate any support, assistance and cooperation as well as private sector contributions for the victims of this "unfortunate situation."
