Upcoming 21st ASEAN Summit to boost bloc's integration process, central role: PM

The forthcoming 21st ASEAN Summit will promote the ASEAN integration process and strengthen the bloc's central role in the region's evolving regional economic and social architecture, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening of an ASEAN Symposium, the premier said that ASEAN has made remarkable achievements since its establishment in 1967. "ASEAN is now known not only as a region of peace, stability and high growth, but a closely-integrated political and economic entity, an influential player in Asia and in indispensable strategic partner of major countries and organizations in the world," he said.

ASEAN has worked hard on implementing the action plans identified in the three pillars of ASEAN Community, namely, political-security community, economic community, and socio- cultural community.

The successful building of ASEAN economic community by 2015 will transform ASEAN into a global market with resilient production base, free flow of goods, services, investment and skilled labor and investment capital, he said. "In the capacity of ASEAN chair, Cambodia would like to encourage members and development partners to continue close cooperation in accelerating the process towards the establishment of ASEAN economic community by 2015, and continuing to make plans for priorities beyond 2015,"Hun Sen said.

In the upcoming 21st ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, for the ASEAN economic community, the ASEAN leaders will discuss important issues such as small and medium sized enterprise development, energy security, environment, trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity and sustainable development, he added.

Cambodia will host the 21st ASEAN Summit and related Summits from Nov. 15 to 20, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

All heads of states and governments of the member states of ASEAN, U.S. President Barack Obama, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda had already confirmed their participation in the forthcoming summit and related meetings, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told reporters early last week.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-The Philippine Star (October 30, 2012 9:00PM)