Asean leaders eye 'one community' by 2015

JAKARTA – Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed yesterday to work on coordinated action on various global issues of common interest and concern, enhance cooperation against human trafficking in the region and establish an ASEAN institute for peace and reconciliation.

The joint statement on the ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations, also this year’s theme of the summit, endeavors ASEAN to have a common platform on various issues by 2022, separate from the goal to reach an ASEAN Community by 2015.

In a statement, leaders agreed to work together to accelerate the undertakings towards an ASEAN Community by 2015 and achieve a common platform for ASEAN beyond 2015 in Southeast Asia.

President Aquino and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said they were optimistic about the goal as they stressed the need for ASEAN to step up and expedite its work to reach its goal of promoting peace, stability and economic competitiveness in the region.

However, the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia and the Myanmar issue raised doubts on whether the goal to have one ASEAN community could be achieved.

The Thailand-Cambodia border dispute occupied the most part of the ASEAN leaders’ plenary session on the first day, surprising the delegates as it put the other issues on the sidelines, according to Philippine officials at the meeting.

 “As part of the wider community of nations, ASEAN is confronted with the dynamics of the 21st century challenges, where issues have become more complex, multi-faceted, transnational, increasingly interlinked and interdependent,” said the ASEAN leaders’ in a joint statement

They agreed to work on an enhanced capacity to contribute and respond to key global issues of common interest and concern, which would benefit all ASEAN member-countries.