Bali Concord II set as ASEAN new course
Bali Concord II set as ASEAN new course
The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali
Twenty-seven years after the founding fathers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines signed the Bali Concord I as the basic framework of cooperation among the countries, on Tuesday the leaders of the now 10-member grouping signed the Declaration of the Bali Concord II, to set a new direction for the organization to achieve the ASEAN Community objective before 2020.
The historic document was signed by Brunei Darussalam Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Laos PM Bounnhang Vorachith, Malaysia's PM Mahathir Mohamad, Myanmar's PM Gen. Khin Nyut, the Philippines' President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Singapore's PM Goh Chok Tong, Thai's PM Thaksin Shinawatra and Vietnam's PM Phan Van Khai.
"This is the document that will establish an ASEAN Community. That will make it possible for our children and their children to live in a state of enduring peace, stability, and shared prosperity," President Megawati said after the signing ceremony.
Mahathir said the objective to create the ASEAN Community could be compared to a degree to the establishment of the European Union.
"But it will never become the ASEAN Union," Mahathir said in his speech.
In the Bali Concord II, which is also named the Declaration of ASEAN Concord, the 10 leaders confirmed further that ASEAN member countries share primary responsibility for strengthening the economic and social stability in the region, and ensuring their peaceful and progressive national development, and that they are determined to ensure their stability and security from external interference in any form or manner in order to preserve their national interests in accordance with the ideals and aspirations of their peoples.
They also reaffirmed the fundamental importance of adhering to the principle of non-interference and consensus in ASEAN cooperation and that ASEAN is a concert of Southeast Asian nations, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies, committed to upholding cultural diversity and social harmony.
In the concord, the leaders issued a 10-point declaration. Among other things they declared:
-- An ASEAN Community shall be established comprising three pillars, namely political and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and sociocultural cooperation that are closely intertwined and mutually reinforcing for the purpose of ensuring durable peace, stability and shared prosperity in the region.
-- ASEAN shall nurture common values, such as habit of consultation to discuss political issues and the willingness to share information on matters of common concern, such as environmental degradation, maritime security cooperation, the enhancement of defense cooperation among ASEAN countries, develop a set of sociopolitical values and principles, and settle long- standing disputes through peaceful means.
-- The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) is the key code of conduct governing relations between states and a diplomatic instrument for the promotion of peace and stability in the region.
-- The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) shall remain the primary forum in enhancing political and security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the pivot in building peace and stability in the region.
-- ASEAN shall enhance its role in further advancing the stages of cooperation within the ARF to ensure the security of the Asia-Pacific region.