With the handing over of the chairmanship of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) from the Philippines to Singapore, the serial meetings of ASEAN Ministerial Meeting closed here Thursday.
The series of meetings held here this week included the 40th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Post Ministerial Conferences and the 14th ASEAN Regional Forum.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Philippines is the current chair of the ASEAN.
In closing remarks, Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo thanked the ASEAN Secretariat and the foreign ministers that attended the meetings for their continuing support and close cooperation that have been indispensable to the Philippines' task of carrying out and fulfilling their common goals.
He said the ASEAN has made substantial strides through the efforts of all the participants in the ministerial meetings, making progress in building trust and bridging the gaps between their countries.
He particularly took note of the adoption of the provision on the establishment of a human rights body in the ASEAN Charter, calling it a victory for ASEAN and for human rights.
The ASEAN Charter is expected to be approved by the ASEAN Leaders when they hold their 13th Summit in Singapore in November this year.
Romulo also cited the adoption of the ASEAN foreign ministers of two vital documents that will boost the migrant workers' welfare -- The Statement on the Establishment of the ASEAN Committee on the Implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion Rights of Migrant Workers, and the Guidelines for the Provision of Emergency Assistance by ASEAN Missions in Third Countries to Nationals of ASEAN Member Countries in Crisis Situations.
He also lauded the designation of former Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan as ASEAN Secretary General to succeed Ong Keng Yong of Singapore whose five-year term ends December 31. Surin will serve a five-year term, too.
The ministers also discussed maritime security, climate change, and the situations in Afghanistan and Iraq, peace on Korean Peninsular, the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty Protocol, strengthening cooperation in counterterrorism, disaster prevention and relief, among others, said Romulo.
"These are all milestones that we have laid on our journey towards building a caring and sharing community," said Romulo.
In his acceptance remarks, Singapore Foreign Minister George Yong-Boon Yeo assured his ASEAN counterparts that, in the true spirit of the ASEAN unity and cooperation and dialogue, he would continue the initiatives of his predecessors to push for ASEAN's agenda.
The Singapore official said during the 13th ASEAN Summit this November, the ASEAN leaders are expected to focus on the so-called three C's Charter, Community-Building and Challenges for the Future.
The series of ASEAN meetings brought together the 10 members of the ASEAN, the European Union and 16 other countries, including China, Australia, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Source: Xinhua
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