ASEAN symbol to get a new face due to Vietnam

ASEAN symbol to get a new face due to Vietnam

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) will need to change its symbol to accommodate the entry
of its seventh member, Vietnam, which joined last month.

ASEAN Secretary General Dato' Ajit Singh disclosed on Tuesday
that a competition will be held which will be opened to all in
ASEAN countries to design a new emblem because the present one no
longer reflects the composition of the group.

The current emblem depicts six vertical lines, representing
the six members, joined together in the middle within a circle
with the words "asean", in lower cases, beneath it.

The competition will be announced in the next few weeks, Singh
told reporters. "The terms of reference are currently being
worked out," he said at the flag hoisting ceremony to mark
ASEAN's 28th anniversary at the ASEAN secretariat office.

He explained that the idea of a competition for the new emblem
was approved by the ASEAN foreign ministers during their meeting
last month in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Established in 1967, ASEAN was originally formed by Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei was
accepted as the sixth member in 1983 while Vietnam became the
seventh just last month during the Ministerial Meeting.

Emblem

When Brunei joined, the emblem was simply modified by adding a
sixth straight line. But now with seven members, and the prospect
of an eighth, ninth and possibly tenth in the next few years,
ASEAN officials feel a need to change the symbol.

Laos and Cambodia are expected to join the group in the next
two years, while Myanmar could follow suit after that.

Singh said the new emblem should be selected and ready by the
coming summit meeting of ASEAN leaders in Bangkok in December.

The Indonesian foreign ministry's director general for ASEAN,
Rahardjo Djamtomo, said at the same flag hoisting ceremony that
the new emblem should embody the character of ASEAN and the
dynamism of the member countries.

Speaking on the expanding membership of the Association,
Rahardjo said there should be no fears that ASEAN's expansion
would reduce its effectiveness.

He pointed out that ASEAN works on a principle of "unity in
diversity" and thus political or ideological differences should
not be a hindrance.

"The basic point is that we are united. How we go about
unifying ourselves is the challenge ASEAN has to face in the
future," he said. (mds)