Cambodia snags vision: Ramos

Cambodia snags vision: Ramos

MANILA (DPA): Philippine President Fidel Ramos said yesterday that the Cambodian crisis had become a snag in the completion of ASEAN's vision of uniting all 10 Southeast Asian countries.

While Ramos said ASEAN had "earned the recognition of the international community" for its success in promoting peace and cooperation in the region, he said the group now "faces the daunting task of sustaining its dynamism and maintaining its good record".

"ASEAN must retool itself, drastically if necessary, so as to deal more effectively with old and new challenges," Ramos said during the inauguration of the ASEAN village in Manila's walled city of Intramuros.

The village -- a garden with miniature structures representing ASEAN's nine members -- was built to commemorate the group's 30th founding anniversary in 1967. A portion of the garden has been devoted to ASEAN's five founding fathers.