Severino elected new ASEAN secretary-general<\/p>\n
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat<\/p>\n
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (JP): Ministers of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) concluded their first day of
\nmeetings here yesterday by electing Filipino Rodolfo C. Severino
\nas the grouping's new secretary-general replacing Dato' Ajit
\nSingh.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told
\njournalists that Severino would begin his new post on Jan. 1,
\n1998.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Ajit Singh ends his five-year term as secretary-
\ngeneral at the end of the year. Severino currently serves as
\nundersecretary of policy for foreign affairs of the Philippines.<\/p>\n
The selection was not conducted by open voting. Instead Alatas
\nwas assigned to seek out beforehand the position of respective
\nmembers. Alatas then reported his findings to the meeting,
\nwithout revealing who supported whom. \"Because it would be
\nunethical,\" he said.<\/p>\n
ASEAN comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
\nthe Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This is the
\nfirst time Laos and Myanmar attended the meeting as full members
\nafter being admitted Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Indonesian foreign ministry's Director General of Political
\nAffairs Nugroho Wisnumurti said the decision reflected the
\nmembers' desire that a secretary-general serve only one term.<\/p>\n
\"We hope a new man will bring new ideas, a new breeze,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
When pressed further to reveal details of the vote Nugroho
\nreplied: \"Well I can't tell you because ASEAN works based on
\nconsensus, even though the consensus was achieved through straw
\npolling.\"<\/p>\n
Also attending the two-day 30th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting were
\nBrunei's Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah, Laos' Somsavat
\nLengsavad, Malaysia's Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Myanmar's U Ohn
\nGyaw, the Philippine's Domingo Siazon, Singapore's S. Jayakumar,
\nThailand's Prachuab Chaiyasan and Vietnam's Nguyen Manh Cam.<\/p>\n
Present as observers were Cambodian Foreign Minister Ung Huot
\nand special representative from Papua New Guinea Leonard Louma.<\/p>\n
Ministers also agreed yesterday to establish an ASEAN
\nFoundation, which will be based in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The foundation's objective will be to deepen and widen ASEAN
\nrelated activities among people in the region. Activities will be
\nheld jointly between ASEAN and the private sector.<\/p>\n
\"Its aim is to strengthen ties among ASEAN peoples. With
\nprograms such as exchanges, seminars and educational programs,\"
\nAlatas said.<\/p>\n
Ministers also discussed preparations for the year-long ASEAN
\n30th anniversary celebrations which will be kicked-off by
\nPresident Soeharto at a reception in Jakarta on Aug. 8.<\/p>\n
Alatas said that in conjunction with the anniversary, heads of
\nstate will present a special citation to the five signatories of
\nthe 1967 Bangkok Declaration which formalized the forming of
\nASEAN.<\/p>\n
Today, ministers will tackle equally demanding issues. They
\ninclude further discussions on Cambodia and a final look at the
\njoint communique which will be released at the end of the meeting
\nlater this afternoon.<\/p>\n
Alatas said ministers would also confer on the draft statement
\nfor the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting which will be held
\nhere on Sunday. \"There will still be debates about the draft
\nstatement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The ARF is a regional political security forum which brings
\ntogether ASEAN and its dialog partners.<\/p>\n
The ministers meeting was opened yesterday at the posh Sunway
\nLagoon Resorts Hotel, outside of Kuala Lumpur, by Malaysian Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Mohamad.<\/p>\n
With his customary rhetorical flair, Mahathir lauded ASEAN as
\na collection of good governments to be modeled after.<\/p>\n
Challenges -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/severino-elected-new-asean-secretary-general-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }