ID :
85904
Sat, 10/24/2009 - 14:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/85904
The shortlink copeid
ASEAN RELEVANCY DEPENDS ON HOW IT TAKES CARE OF ITS PEOPLE
By D.Arul Rajoo
HUA HIN, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- The 10-nation Asean's relevancy in the future
will be judged from its ability to respond to challenges affecting the
well-being of its 580 million population in a concrete and timely manner, Thai
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday.
He said cooperation should also focus on empowering the people to be able to
compete in a more globalised world through education and human resource
development.
"We also need to make Asean continue to engage with people to ensure that
people are given the opportunity to actively participate in and feel a sense of
ownership in this Asean community-building process," he said at the opening of
the 15th Asean Summit here.
Leaders from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines skipped the
opening due to domestic commitments, but are expected to attend the various
summits with dialogue partners beginning Saturday.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to arrive
here about 9pm after delivering the 2010 budget report in the Parliament. He was
represented by Foreign Minister Anifah Aman at the opening ceremony.
Abhisit said principles under the Asean Charter, including respect for human
rig hts and fundamental freedoms, should be translated into concrete
action.
He said the regional grouping's 15-year dream would come true with the
inauguration of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (Aichr)
today.
This important body, together with the establishment of the Asean Commission
on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children next year,
would generate momentum in an effort to promote and protect human rights in the
region, he said.
"It will also increase the 'comfort level' of all Asean member states to be
able to accept a more enhanced role of this body in the future," said Abhisit,
who will hand over the Asean chairmanship to his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen
Tan Dung, on Sunday.
Abhisit also said that Asean should set a clear vision on what to achieve in
its pursuit of an Asean Community goal by 2015, and added that as a "Community
of Action", it could act decisively and promptly to address both internal and
external threats.
Asean, he said, should also become a "Community of Connectivity" where goods
and peoples, as well as investments and initiatives could move across borders
without obstacles.
-- BERNAMA
HUA HIN, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- The 10-nation Asean's relevancy in the future
will be judged from its ability to respond to challenges affecting the
well-being of its 580 million population in a concrete and timely manner, Thai
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday.
He said cooperation should also focus on empowering the people to be able to
compete in a more globalised world through education and human resource
development.
"We also need to make Asean continue to engage with people to ensure that
people are given the opportunity to actively participate in and feel a sense of
ownership in this Asean community-building process," he said at the opening of
the 15th Asean Summit here.
Leaders from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines skipped the
opening due to domestic commitments, but are expected to attend the various
summits with dialogue partners beginning Saturday.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to arrive
here about 9pm after delivering the 2010 budget report in the Parliament. He was
represented by Foreign Minister Anifah Aman at the opening ceremony.
Abhisit said principles under the Asean Charter, including respect for human
rig hts and fundamental freedoms, should be translated into concrete
action.
He said the regional grouping's 15-year dream would come true with the
inauguration of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (Aichr)
today.
This important body, together with the establishment of the Asean Commission
on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children next year,
would generate momentum in an effort to promote and protect human rights in the
region, he said.
"It will also increase the 'comfort level' of all Asean member states to be
able to accept a more enhanced role of this body in the future," said Abhisit,
who will hand over the Asean chairmanship to his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen
Tan Dung, on Sunday.
Abhisit also said that Asean should set a clear vision on what to achieve in
its pursuit of an Asean Community goal by 2015, and added that as a "Community
of Action", it could act decisively and promptly to address both internal and
external threats.
Asean, he said, should also become a "Community of Connectivity" where goods
and peoples, as well as investments and initiatives could move across borders
without obstacles.
-- BERNAMA
