The 26th ASEAN Summit kicked off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April27 under the theme “Our People, Our Community, Our Vision.”
During the event, leaders of 10 ASEAN member countries are to discussmeasures for the building of the ASEAN Community, the shaping of theassociation’s post-2015 vision and the bloc’s external relations.
Participants will also talk about the central role played by ASEAN andthe challenges facing the grouping. Solutions to these problems will besuggested.
Addressing the opening ceremony,Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak said 2015 will be amilestone in the history of ASEAN, noting that the vision of creating asingle community will be realised by the end of December.
He stated that the grouping’s collective duty this year is toformulate a successor document to the Roadmap to Establish the ASEANCommunity. This will provide the basis for how to further strengthen theassociation’s unity and deepen integration over the next ten years, hesaid, adding that these are two crucial undertakings for charting abold, inclusive and forward-looking future for ASEAN and its peoples.
He reiterated the Summit’s theme “Our People, OurCommunity, Our Vision,” which highlighted the hope to make ASEAN “peoplecentred”.
“This means good governance, higherstandards of living, sustainable development, empowerment of women, andgreater opportunity for all people,” he declared.
The PM went on to say that a people-centred ASEAN must work for thebenefit of their citizens both at home and internationally, stressingthat the concept of ASEAN Centrality is key. A strong and united ASEAN -that is friendly and believes in cooperative engagement with allcountries - provides the framework for the maintenance of regional peaceand stability, he said.
“While we continueour engagement and cooperative relationships with countries outside ofASEAN, we need to peacefully manage differences closer to home,including overlapping maritime claims, without increasing tensions,”he stressed.
The Malaysian PM noted that recentdevelopments have raised concerns about the East Sea , and giventhe importance of its sea lanes to international trade, it is naturalthat almost any occurrence there will attract attention. ASEAN mustaddress these developments in a proactive, but also in a positive andconstructive way, he stated.
Najib alsounderscored that respect for international law, including the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, must be the basis ofthe rules of engagement and activities in the East Sea. He alsoexpressed hope that progress will be made in efforts to introduce abinding maritime Code of Conduct.
Following theopening ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is leading theVietnamese delegation at the event, joined other ASEAN leaders for aplenary session.
They will hold meetings with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and ASEAN Business Advisory Council.-VNA
During the event, leaders of 10 ASEAN member countries are to discussmeasures for the building of the ASEAN Community, the shaping of theassociation’s post-2015 vision and the bloc’s external relations.
Participants will also talk about the central role played by ASEAN andthe challenges facing the grouping. Solutions to these problems will besuggested.
Addressing the opening ceremony,Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak said 2015 will be amilestone in the history of ASEAN, noting that the vision of creating asingle community will be realised by the end of December.
He stated that the grouping’s collective duty this year is toformulate a successor document to the Roadmap to Establish the ASEANCommunity. This will provide the basis for how to further strengthen theassociation’s unity and deepen integration over the next ten years, hesaid, adding that these are two crucial undertakings for charting abold, inclusive and forward-looking future for ASEAN and its peoples.
He reiterated the Summit’s theme “Our People, OurCommunity, Our Vision,” which highlighted the hope to make ASEAN “peoplecentred”.
“This means good governance, higherstandards of living, sustainable development, empowerment of women, andgreater opportunity for all people,” he declared.
The PM went on to say that a people-centred ASEAN must work for thebenefit of their citizens both at home and internationally, stressingthat the concept of ASEAN Centrality is key. A strong and united ASEAN -that is friendly and believes in cooperative engagement with allcountries - provides the framework for the maintenance of regional peaceand stability, he said.
“While we continueour engagement and cooperative relationships with countries outside ofASEAN, we need to peacefully manage differences closer to home,including overlapping maritime claims, without increasing tensions,”he stressed.
The Malaysian PM noted that recentdevelopments have raised concerns about the East Sea , and giventhe importance of its sea lanes to international trade, it is naturalthat almost any occurrence there will attract attention. ASEAN mustaddress these developments in a proactive, but also in a positive andconstructive way, he stated.
Najib alsounderscored that respect for international law, including the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, must be the basis ofthe rules of engagement and activities in the East Sea. He alsoexpressed hope that progress will be made in efforts to introduce abinding maritime Code of Conduct.
Following theopening ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who is leading theVietnamese delegation at the event, joined other ASEAN leaders for aplenary session.
They will hold meetings with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and ASEAN Business Advisory Council.-VNA
