Closing Remarks of H.E. Hor Namhong,
Senior Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
At the 4th meeting of the 36th ASEAN Standing Committee,
Phnom Penh
14 June 2003
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is of course a pleasure for me once again to welcome all of you to Phnom Penh. We are gathered here to take part in this fourth and last meeting of the 36th ASEAN Standing Committee, which Cambodia, for the first time, has the honor of chairing.
In my capacity as Chairman of the 36th ASC, I thank the Secretary-General of ASEAN and his staff, the ASEAN Directors-General and all of you for the sincere and close cooperation as well as the active support you have extended to Cambodia and to me. Your cooperation and support have been indispensable to our task of carrying out and fulfilling our common assignments.
Your hard work, solidarity and sense of collective purpose have contributed much to the substantial advances that ASEAN has made in the past year toward the attainment of its goals. ASEAN’s progress has given our government and people enormous satisfaction and evoked in me a sense of personal fulfillment and pride, despite the many challenges with which we still have to be confronted.
On the political-security side, ASEAN has taken major steps forward in fostering regional security and stability in our region. Here in Phnom Penh last November, the Leaders of ASEAN and China signed the Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Field of Non-Traditional Security Issues. ASEAN Foreign Ministers ad China’s Special Envoy also signed on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. I understand that China and Russia’s accession to the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone treaty. All these measures provide frameworks for the promotion of mutual confidence, and thus contribute substantially to the peace and stability of our region.
ASEAN’s strong commitment and active cooperation against international terrorism contribute greatly to regional security and stability. By adopting the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime, ASEAN has laid the basis for setting up the mechanism and undertaken activities to fight terrorism and other transnational crimes cooperatively. Our Leaders have twice issued declarations expressing their clear resolve to deal with terrorism through cooperation within ASEAN and with the international community at large. Cambodia and Thailand have acceded to the Agreement on Information Exchange and Establishment of Communications Procedures, which Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines had initiated to coordinate efforts against terrorism.
On the economic side, our Leaders have decided to raise ASEAN to the next stage of regional economic integration in the form of the proposed ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Parallel and coordinated studies are now going on to bring this about – for the sake of ASEAN’s competitiveness and economic progress ASC needs to look particularly into the institutional and financial implications as well as the requirements for this specific proposed move.
Our leaders and the entire ASEAN system have given high priority to the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), knowing that narrowing the development gap within ASEAN is essential for our Association’s relevance and competitiveness. I am grateful that ASC has assumed a leading part in formulating the work plan and projects to carry out the IAI and in mobilizing resources for them. Here, I must thank the older ASEAN members for their wholehearted support – not only in terms of political backing but also in the form of technical and financial resources. However, we must conceive the IAI as a short, medium and long term rolling plans vitally important for our region as a whole. IAI is the prerequisite for the success of the proposed AEC and for moving ahead in building the East Asia partnership. Therefore, the ASC has to continue to work hard to implement the already formulated projects and programs.
In recognition of the vital role of tourism in our countries’ development, ASEAN’s leaders signed in Phnom Penh last November the ASEAN Tourism Agreement. The Agreement called for implementing instruments with respect to air and maritime transport, entry requirements, joint training, joint promotion, the preservation of the environment and the cultural heritage, and the safety of travelers. ASC has a definite role to play in ensuring, together with the National Tourism Organizations, that these implementing measures are taken and carried out in a very concrete manner.
On ASEAN relations with its Dialogue Partners, it is a source of great satisfaction that the ASEAN Plus Three process has been moving forward. The network of bilateral currency swap arrangements (BSA) envisioned in the Chiang Mai Initiative now has 12 BSAs, with a value of US$31.5 billion; two more under negotiation. ASEAN Plus Three ministerial forums have been active, including the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ meeting, now in its fourth year. Other forms of ASEAN Plus Three cooperation are proceeding smoothly. The East Asia Study Group gave its final report to the ASEAN Plus Three Summit here in Phnom Penh, recommending 17 short-term and 9 medium-term-and long-term measures to foster East Asian solidarity and make ASEAN Plus Three cooperation truly effective for our countries and peoples. I propose that the ASEAN Plus Three Directors-General, a body that is already proving its value, actively work out specific projects and activities to carry out the 17 short-term recommendations of the EASG, looking into mechanisms, modalities and sources of funding.
Also here in Phnom Penh, the 6th ASEAN-China Summit witnessed the signing of the historic Framework Agreement on ASEAN-China Comprehensive Economic Cooperation which will serve as a foundation for a strong cooperation between ASEAN and China and for establishing an ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (FTA) by 2010 for the older Members and 2015 for the newer Members of ASEAN.
The subsequent ASEAN-Japan Summit saw the signing of the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which included elements of the FTA. Related to the ASEAN + 3 process is the Initiative for Development in East Asia (IDEA), which the Prime Minister of Japan initiative. Last August in Tokyo, IDEA held its first ministerial meeting. That meeting agreed on the importance of maintaining adequate ODA for the development of East Asia and of promoting the flow of FDI to Southeast Asia, in particular to the least developed countries there. It also expressed support for sub-regional development schemes, including the IAI. The ministerial meeting instructed officials to explore possible cooperative projects to carry out IDEA’s purposes. I think it’s urgent time that the ASEAN DGs + 3 should assume a major role in working out these projects.
In Phnom Penh was also held the First ASEAN-India Summit in recognition of the expanding cooperation between ASEAN and India. This Summit will be held annually from now on. ASC bears much of the responsibility for moving the process forward. Therefore, the ASEAN Secretary-General and Directors-General of ASEAN should work together to explore ways of strengthening and deepening cooperation with India aiming at reaching the Free Trade Area at an appropriate time. In addition, I have in mind an idea of exploring the way of having an ASEAN + India annual foreign ministers’ meeting, similar to that of the ASEAN + 3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting given the growing importance of ASEAN-India relations today. This is just my idea.
The ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting took place in January this year in a new atmosphere of understanding and reactivated cooperation. ASC has a key role in nurturing this relationship which encompasses practical projects that yield benefits to both sides. In light of this cooperation with the EU, I would like to suggest that ASEAN Secretary-General and Directors-General of ASEAN should promote more initiatives in response to the urgent need of strengthening cooperation between ASEAN and the EU.
ASEAN-United States relations have acquired a new dimension with the U.S. President’s Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative (EAI) meant to strengthen America’s economic relations with ASEAN countries, individually and collectively. In this regard, ASEAN should explore ways to develop a concrete action for the future cooperation in line with the U.S. President’s initiative.
In sum, ASEAN has made very substantial strides during the past year, thanks to the efforts of all the Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat. Of course, very much still needs to be done as I just mentioned – not only in terms of substantive steps in regional cooperation but also in terms of strengthening our mechanisms and institutions, including the Secretariat to cope with the challenges we are facing. All this fills the ASEAN agenda as Minister Hassan Wirajuda takes over the Chairmanship of the ASC. I urge that we all give him and ASEAN-Indonesia all the support that we can muster.
With this thought, I thank you once again for all your valuable cooperation and active support over the past year.
I now declare the fourth meeting of the 36th ASEAN Standing Committee closed.
Thank you.
