ASEAN remains important body for SE Asia

ASEAN remains important body for SE Asia

Agence France-Presse, Singapore

ASEAN remains an important body for Southeast Asian countries and
members should cooperate to keep the group cohesive irrespective
of bilateral problems, Singapore President S.R. Nathan said.

Nathan, speaking on late Thursday at a state dinner for
visiting Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, rejected allegations
that the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), founded in 1967, was in decline.

"We share a common interest in keeping ASEAN robust and
relevant. Despite what some critics might say, ASEAN is not an
organization that is on the wane, or past its prime," Nathan
said.

"It remains as relevant today as it was 35 years ago,"
particularly for smaller members such as Singapore and Brunei, he
added.

"We share a mutual interest in ensuring regional peace and
stability. We also face common challenges, such as the impact of
globalization," he said.

"Indeed, there is much scope for us to do more to make the
expanded ASEAN a cohesive and vibrant community."

Sultan Hassanal is in the middle of a three-day visit to
Singapore where he will also meet with Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong and Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

He will also visit the Singapore Armed Forces commando
headquarters and meet with personnel from the Royal Brunei Armed
Forces on training attachment here.

ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Some
of the members are involved in conflicting territorial claims and