ID :
75016
Wed, 08/12/2009 - 20:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/75016
The shortlink copeid
COUNCIL TO BE SET UP TO ENHANCE M'SIANS' UNDERSTANDING OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Bernama) -- Former Malaysian prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the establishment of a foreign relations and diplomacy council would help Malaysians to better appreciate and understand international affairs.
A pro-tem committee had been formed to look into its formation as its
establishment was important because Malaysia's affairs had become so intertwined
with developments at the regional and global levels, he told a press conference.
He had earlier delivered a keynote address at the third joint roundtable
conference on "East Asia Community Building: The Role of Asean" organised by the
Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations and the Malaysian International
Affairs Forum (IDFR-MIAF).
The one-day event, which was attended by the region's top foreign affairs
and economic experts, discussed topics related to economic development as well
as politics and diplomacy.
Abdullah said the council would invite former diplomats, academicians
and experts on foreign relations to discuss important foreign and diplomatic
issues so that Malaysians could be well informed about these developments.
In his address, he said the council could also help build national consensus
on what would be the best way forward for Malaysia in international politics and
diplomacy.
Abdullah also said that efforts must be made to strengthen cooperation
between Asean countries, China, Japan and South Korea to forge a deeper
understanding among them on the fundamental need for a larger and more viable
regional community in East Asia.
He said the Asean Plus Three (China, Japan and South Korea) process,
with Asean providing the leadership, would be the most effective vehicle for
community building in East Asia as it was the best equipped existing corporate
force for change.
Following the establishment of the East Asia Summit, which included
the Asean Plus Three, India, Australia and New Zealand, Abdullah noted that
the region was now facing the prospect of having two parallel approaches to East
Asia community building.
"There is really no duplication of intentions in this turn of events,
although it is important to maintain the integrity of the two separate processes
and allow both to succeed in the pursuit of their separate and clearly declared
purposes," he said.
Abdullah stressed that economic cooperation and regional integration
between Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia would only be meaningful when the
development gaps had been narrowed and poverty eradicated across the region.
He said one of the most effective ways of accelerating economic growth in
less developed countries was for the leading economic countries in the region to
initiate a comprehensive investment programme for infrastructure development.
"The existence of such modern and state-of-the-art facilities will provide
the link with high growth centres that can market products (of the less
developed countries) and attract international investment. Thus, the resulting
prosperity can be shared by all," he said.
-- BERNAMA
A pro-tem committee had been formed to look into its formation as its
establishment was important because Malaysia's affairs had become so intertwined
with developments at the regional and global levels, he told a press conference.
He had earlier delivered a keynote address at the third joint roundtable
conference on "East Asia Community Building: The Role of Asean" organised by the
Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations and the Malaysian International
Affairs Forum (IDFR-MIAF).
The one-day event, which was attended by the region's top foreign affairs
and economic experts, discussed topics related to economic development as well
as politics and diplomacy.
Abdullah said the council would invite former diplomats, academicians
and experts on foreign relations to discuss important foreign and diplomatic
issues so that Malaysians could be well informed about these developments.
In his address, he said the council could also help build national consensus
on what would be the best way forward for Malaysia in international politics and
diplomacy.
Abdullah also said that efforts must be made to strengthen cooperation
between Asean countries, China, Japan and South Korea to forge a deeper
understanding among them on the fundamental need for a larger and more viable
regional community in East Asia.
He said the Asean Plus Three (China, Japan and South Korea) process,
with Asean providing the leadership, would be the most effective vehicle for
community building in East Asia as it was the best equipped existing corporate
force for change.
Following the establishment of the East Asia Summit, which included
the Asean Plus Three, India, Australia and New Zealand, Abdullah noted that
the region was now facing the prospect of having two parallel approaches to East
Asia community building.
"There is really no duplication of intentions in this turn of events,
although it is important to maintain the integrity of the two separate processes
and allow both to succeed in the pursuit of their separate and clearly declared
purposes," he said.
Abdullah stressed that economic cooperation and regional integration
between Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia would only be meaningful when the
development gaps had been narrowed and poverty eradicated across the region.
He said one of the most effective ways of accelerating economic growth in
less developed countries was for the leading economic countries in the region to
initiate a comprehensive investment programme for infrastructure development.
"The existence of such modern and state-of-the-art facilities will provide
the link with high growth centres that can market products (of the less
developed countries) and attract international investment. Thus, the resulting
prosperity can be shared by all," he said.
-- BERNAMA
