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.