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Yearender: Charter makes ASEAN stronger (3) |
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21:48, December 16, 2008 |
CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER COUNTRIES
The ASEAN also succeeded in expanding its cooperation with countries out of the region in 2008, which is another great help for the organization to get larger influences. In the year, four countries have sent their ambassadors to the ASEAN. The first country sending ambassador to the ASEAN is the United States, which realized the importance of the ASEAN as the premier regional organization in Southeast Asia. Later in September, Australia sent its first ambassador to the ASEAN. It was followed by New Zealand and Japan in October.
China has also said it plans to appoint its first ambassador to the ASEAN to further strengthen bilateral strategic ties.
On the other hand, the ASEAN proved its leading ability and played a big role in launching cooperation with the UN, the World Bank and other international entities, while helping victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. That brought the bloc a good reputation. Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, special envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Myanmar, expressed his appreciation on behalfof the UN Secretary-General and the UN leadership at all levels for the leadership the ASEAN has provided in the humanitarian mission in Myanmar.
The expanding of ASEAN''s influences can also be seen at the 15th Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which was convened in Singapore in July 2008. The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers and Representatives of all ARF participants, including not only the bloc''s ten member states but also China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, the Democratic People''s Republic of Korea, India, Mongolia, Russia, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the EU. The ministers at the forum reaffirmed the importance of the ARF as the main multilateral political and security forum in the region, and reiterated their support for the ASEAN as the primary driving force of the ARF.
In terms of cooperation with Asian-pacific countries, the regional organization, through a series of the ASEAN plus three (China, Japan and South Korea) Ministers Meetings, expanded its cooperation with the three countries by signing agreements on trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic cooperation, finance, peace and prosperity, media exchange and transportation.
The bloc also strengthened its relationship with Australia. In June, the ASEAN committed to advance cooperation with Australia in economic integration with the launch of the second phase of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program, which will provide 57 million dollars to the ASEAN over the next seven years to support greater economic integration in the region.
Also in the year, the ASEAN and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, commonly known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), agreed to institutionalize their cooperation and elevate their relationship to a ministerial level, which is another brilliant progress for the regional organization.
In view of its cooperation with Western countries and international organizations, the bloc gained a great support from developed countries in America and Europe, the UN and the World Bank, which are expected to accelerate its paces to achieve the goal of the ASEAN Community and help its member states to fight transnational crime, including trafficking in persons and drugs, and money laundering, counter terrorism, and strengthen its humanitarian profile in natural disasters in the region.
Observers here predicted that the bloc will develop more friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogue, cooperation and partnerships with countries and subregional, regional and international organizations and institutions, which will further strengthen its role not only in the world politics but also in the economic arena.
Source:Xinhua
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