Address at the 18th ASEAN Summit (Plenary – First Session) Topic : Implementation of the ASEAN Charter and Roadmap for ASEAN Community Jakarta, 7 May 2011
(09:45-10:45)
Excellency Chair of the Meeting,
Your Majesty the Sultan, Excellencies ASEAN Leaders,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, I would like to congratulate H.E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on his assumption of the Chairmanship of this important ASEAN Summit and to express our deep gratitude to Your Excellency for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation.
For the first part of the plenary session, allow me to share my own views on a number of issues on the building of the ASEAN Political and Security Community. As to the matters related to the other three items of the agenda for our plenary discussion, I will raise during the second part of the plenary session.
I am pleased with the significant progress made in the 14 prioritized areas in pursuing the building of the ASEAN Political-Security Community. We recognize that the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Free-Zone Treaty (SEANFWZ), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism are becoming more useful instruments to ensure regional security.
In this spirit, Cambodia urges the joint working group on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to finalize a guideline for the implementation of DOC before 2012 in order to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the DOC. Cambodia welcomes Canada’s proposal to be a member of the TAC and also welcomes East Timor’s application to be a member of ASEAN as the East Timor is located in Southeast Asia. Moreover, I highly appreciate the proposal on the establishment of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation. I believe that the Institute will help ASEAN to create a real mechanism for dispute settlement in the region. However, Cambodia goes along with the suggestion that we should give this mandate to our Senior Officials and Ministers of Foreign Affairs to conduct a comprehensive study before taking a final decision.
Overall, I notice that all the above mechanisms were established in order to enhance mutual understanding and trust among member countries, thus contributing to the maintenance of peace and security in the region. However, I am very concerned about the unsettled bilateral disputes among ASEAN member countries such as the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. Indeed, a series of military fighting along the border between Cambodia and Thailand may not only affect peace and security in the region, but also create the foremost critical challenge for ASEAN in our pursuit towards the ASEAN Community in 2015. I believe that ASEAN should not ignore this serious issue. Moreover, ASEAN must consider this dispute as the most important issue for the life of the community, which ASEAN must establish a mediation mechanism for the effective settlement of the dispute.
As you area aware, Cambodia is a small, poor country that has just emerged from the ashes of war. We have just had the opportunity to rehabilitate, rebuild and develop our nation and peace, national reconciliation and stability have just been fully achieved more than ten years ago. Therefore the top priority on our agenda is to eradicate hunger and reduce poverty of the people in order to achieve development, progress, prosperity by living in harmonious coexistence with neighboring countries in the region. Cambodia views expanding cooperation with neighboring countries and integration into the region as our great opportunity for development. Based on this understanding, Cambodia has made tremendous efforts to overcome all kinds of obstacles in order to be able to join ASEAN and have made our utmost to contribute to the process of community building in Southeast Asia in accordance with the aspirations and visions of all our peoples. Therefore, Cambodia has neither reason nor interest to invade or create incidents with her neighbors. On the contrary, as an independent and sovereign State with territorial integrity, we reserve the rights to self-defense according to the principles of international law.
In this spirit, the Kingdom of Cambodia has exerted its efforts to seek for a peaceful settlement of this border dispute based on the principles of international law and in accordance with the spirit of the ASEAN Charter and treaties as well as other related agreements. In this context, Cambodia highly appreciates the efforts made by Indonesia to arrange to dispatch observers to the area of the Preah Vihear Temple in order to monitor the ceasefire reached at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 22 February 2011, according to the mandate given by the UN Security Council. It is worthwhile to recall that at the Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 22 February 2011, both the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand agreed to invite the Indonesian observers to the area concerned along the border of each country to monitor the ceasefire commitment made by both parties: Cambodia and Thailand. Since then until the last few days, as the ASEAN chair, Indonesia has coordinated to prepare a draft of the Terms of References for deploying the observers and submitted many times to both parties, Cambodia and Thailand, for approval. Recognizing the most urgent need caused by the fragile situation at the border and in the spirit of making the biggest concession, Cambodia immediately provided her prompt positive response to the draft TORs which was subsequently modified in order to ensure that the deployment of Indonesian observers can be undertaken immediately, and in order to stop the armed conflicts and the mutual accusation made by the both parties. I am pleased that at last on 3 May 2011, Cambodia was able to sign the Acceptance Letter to put the TORs into effect. Thus, I hope that a permanent ceasefire will be ensured along with the deployment of the Indonesian observers, which I understand that, it should be carried out as soon as possible. However, once again I deeply regret that Thailand has not yet signed the Acceptance Letter to put into effect the TORs and continue again and again to put unreasonable and unacceptable conditions and, according to the latest condition, Thailand requires Cambodia to withdraw her troops and population from her own territory, the territory that has been under the sovereignty and effective control of Cambodia since the immemorial time. This condition is irrational and unacceptable. In fact, it is Thailand that must withdraw troops from the vicinity of the areas, according to the judgment of the International Court of Justice at The Hague dated 15 June 1962.
This is the testimony that Thailand does not have the goodwill to accept the Indonesian observers and does not have the willingness to settle this border dispute in accordance with the international law and by peaceful means. Thailand, as a big country, continues to have the ambition to prolong the armed conflicts in order to violate weaker neighboring ASEAN members.
Respectively, it is worthwhile to highlight the causes of continuous armed conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand during the past. This is the main reason why Cambodia has submitted this matter to the United Nations Security Council.
Cambodia has never resorted to war as the means to settle the border conflict. When Thai troops came to occupy the Preah Vihear Temple between 1954 and 1959 after the France’s withdrawal from Cambodia, Cambodia used all means to try to secure the settlement through negotiations. Only after having exhausted the possibility of a negotiated settlement, Cambodia had submitted the case to the International Court of Justice at the Hague. At present, since the Thai troops invaded Cambodia in the area of the Preah Vihear Temple on 15 July 2008 Cambodia has shown utmost restraint by seeking peaceful settlement through negotiations and exploring all kinds of mechanisms at all levels. However, until now the bilateral mechanism has not only settled the matter, but also widened this conflict further. While respecting Thailand’s legal procedure, Cambodia was patient enough to wait for the adoption of the three records of the meetings of the Cambodia-Thai Joint Border Committee. However, until now the three records of the meeting that were prepared in 2008 and 2009 have not yet been approved and nobody knows which national institution of Thailand has the authority over this matter. This is to underline that we have exhausted all means of bilateral mode of dispute settlement.
In line with the demand from the government of Thailand and the information that I have received lately, I am very concerned that the situation in the conflict area at the Cambodian-Thai border will not return to normalcy as Thailand has intention to use her military supremacy to expel the Cambodian people and the Cambodian armed forces from the territory of Cambodia, by using its own unilateral map. As far as Cambodia is concerned, we continue to steadily adhere to the approach of a peaceful settlement of the dispute based on the principles of international law and in the spirit of the ASEAN Charter. Within the framework of this approach, on 28 April 2011, the Royal Government of Cambodia has submitted a request to the International Court of Justice at the Hague to provide interpretation of the 1962 Judgment on the Preah Vihear Temple. Cambodia is of the view that the interpretation of the 1962 Judgment by the International Court of Justice at the Hauge is instrumental to resolving, peacefully and based on the principles of law, the border dispute between the two countries so as to put an end once and for all in the future, in particular, the so called “4.6 square kilometers” in the area of the Preah Vihear Temple, which the Thai side has claimed based on her unilateral map. At the same time, I expect that a permanent ceasefire, which will be guaranteed by the deployment of the Indonesian observers, will create an environment of confidence conducive to the peaceful settlement of the border dispute between the two countries based on the principles of law as I mentioned ealier.
Therefore, I urge the ASEAN leaders to provide support and put forth necessary measures in order to make all parties concerned cooperate and accept the observers from Indonesia, acting as ASEAN Chair, in order to dispatch them immediately to the border area to monitor the ceasefire agreed to at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in February 2011, and according to the mandate of the United Nations Security Council. ASEAN’s prestige and credibility will be at high risk if the efforts to establish a permanent ceasefire will not be materialized as planned.
I would like to stop my intervention at this point and, as I said earlier, I will share my views on the remaining three topics for this plenary session later on during the next session.
Thank You for Your Attention
Address at the18th ASEAN Summit (Working Lunch/Dinner)
Topic: The Border Dispute between Cambodia and Thailand
Jakarta, 7-8 May 2011
Excellency Chair of the Meeting,
Your Majesty the Sultan, Excellencies ASEAN Leaders,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Taking this rare and valuable opportunity may I inform the ASEAN Leaders of the issue concerning the border dispute between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand as follows:
1- Issue related to the area of Preah Vihea Temple
The border between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand is based on the France-Siam Treaty 1904 and 1907 and the maps prepared by the France-Siam Demarcation Commission.
Moreover, in 2000, the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand singed the Memorandum of Understanding on Delineation and Demarcation based on the France-Siam Treaty 1893, 1904 and 1907, and the maps prepared by the France-Siam Demarcation Commission. I would like to underscore the fact that this MOU is legally binding as a Treaty in accordance to International Laws.
Based on this foundation, the Border Commission of the two countries have performed their tasks and achieved some positive results as they implanted temporary border poles in many places.
After the Kingdom of Cambodia registered the Preah Vihea Temple as a World Heritage and prior to the Cambodia’s preparation of the general election on 15 July 2008, the Kingdom of Thailand dispatched its forces into the areas, which is under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Cambodia, claiming the territories using its unilateral map which is not stipulated in any treaties nor agreements.
Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Cambodia has exerted its efforts to seek for a peaceful solution to this border dispute based on the principles of international laws and in accordance with the spirit of the ASEAN Charter and treaties as well as other related agreements. In the context of this situation, we highly appreciate the effort made by Indonesia as the Chair of ASEAN in trying to mediate a reconciliation and preparing to send observers to the area of Preah Vihea Temple in order to prevent more military clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, in the spirit of the Informal Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers dated on 22 February 2011.
I would like to remind you that, during the Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in February 2011, the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Thailand agreed to invite the Indonesian observers to the clashed area along the border of each country to monitor the ceasefire committed by both parties: Cambodia and Thailand. Since then until the past few days, as the ASEAN chair, Indonesia has coordinated to prepare a draft of the TORs for deploying the observers and submitted many times for the approval from both parties, Cambodia and Thailand. In the spirit of the recognition of the most urgency due to the fragile situation at the border and in the spirit of the most concession, Cambodia immediately provided with its positive responses to the draft TORs which subsequently modified in order to ensure that the deploying of Indonesian observers can be undertaken promptly, and in order to stop the military clashes and the mutual accusation between the two parties. I am pleased that eventually on 3rd May 2011 Cambodia signed the Acceptance Letter to put the TORs into effect. Thus, I hope that a permanent cease-fire will be ensured along with the deployment of the Indonesian observers, which I understand that, it should be carried out as soon as possible.
Moreover, on 28 April 2011, the Royal Government of Cambodia has made a request to the International Court of Justice at the Hague to urge the later for an explanation of the 1962 Court Verdict related to the Preah Vihea Temple. Cambodia has a view that obtaining the explanation of the 1962 Court Verdict of the International Court of Justice at the Hague is instrumental to resolving the border dispute between the two countries in a peaceful and legal way that will clear and close the dispute case in the future particularly the so-called “4.6 square kilometer of deputed land” in the area of the Preah Vihea Temple, which the Thai side claims it based on her unilateral map.
I expect that a permanent ceasefire, which will be guaranteed through the dispatch of the Indonesian observers, will sustain and create an environment of trust, which allows for resuming the work of the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Commission to resolve the border demarcation between the two countries by giving an urgent attention to the border issue in the area of the Preah Vihea Temple. The Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Commission can meet either in Cambodia or in Thailand with the participation of the ASEAN Chair in accordance with the recommendation of the UN Security Council dated on 14 February 2011, and the Chairman Statement of ASEAN dated 22 February 2011.
2- Issues Related to the areas of Tamoan and Ta Krabei
Regretfully, Thai Royal Armed Forces has opened attacks on both military and civil targets at surrounding areas of Tamoan Temple, surrounded area of Ta Krabei Temple, Thmar Doan and Chubb Kiri in Oddar Meanchey Province of Cambodia, since April 22, 2011. The artillery and mortar shells landed 24 kilometers depth inside Cambodia’s territory where civil people are living. I would like to underline that Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Commission already demarcated area of Ta Maon Temple and planted a temporary border pole east of Ta Moan Temple. This is an evidence of agreement between Cambodia and Thailand that Ta Moan Temple is inside Cambodia’s territory.
After the military fighting for more than a week, a ceasefire agreement was reached from negotiation meeting between Cambodia’s Commander of Military Region 4 and Thailand’s Commander of Military Region 2 on the April 28, 2011. Both parties agreed to keep the presence status quo concerning their military positions and ceasing all troop re-deployments, encourage Commanders of both sides at the frontline to meet and to establish a communication task to exchange information in the event of incident. Both parties agreed that, border issues should be addressed through Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Commission. The militaries are tasked with the issues related to the truce only.
Nevertheless, the agreement has not been respected. The confrontation had continued until May 3, 2011. However, with the great efforts made by the military Heads at the front line and with the support from the Governments of the two Countries, a ceasefire has been established in the night of 3rd May and entered the 4th May 2011. This has created an environment of trust for the Commanders of Military Regions of both sides to resume their negotiation in the morning of 04th May 2011 to pave the way for the situation to return to prior 22nd April. This allowed the war refugees of both sides to return their homes.
I am convinced that the ceasefire agreement on April 28, 2011 and on May 04, 2011 between the both Commanders of Military Regions is a solid foundation to avoid clash and allow both parties to peacefully resolve conflict at Ta Moan and Ta Krabei. In this regard, I would like to urge both parties to firmly honor the ceasefire agreement with highest responsibilities.
Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Government and People of Cambodia, I would like to thank once again the active role and greatest effort of Indonesia, under ASEAN Chairmanship, to mediate for resolution of Cambodia and Thailand border dispute.
Thank You for Your Attention
Keynote Address at the8th ASEAN Leadership Forum “Strengthening ASEAN Centrality, Connectivity with the Global Community”
Jakarta, 8 May 2011
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen !
At the outset, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the ASEAN Secretariat, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and especially Dato’ Dr. Michael Yeoh, ASLI Chief Executive Officer, for inviting me to address this august forum.
I am honored today to share with all distinguished participants some of my thoughts on “Strengthening ASEAN Centrality, Connectivity with the Global Community” which is the central theme of Indonesia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in this year.
ASEAN has indeed matured in the last 44 years. ASEAN is now playing an active role, taking its rightful place on the same platform among major global players for political and economic dialogue and cooperation. Especially, over the last few years, with firm determination and efforts made by all our Governments and people in the region and with the support from the partners concerned, ASEAN has made many major achievements in all sectors including political, economic, social and cultural sector.
However, in such a dynamic and rapidly changing world, I believe that ASEAN is still faced with many internal and external challenges in the making ASEAN Community by 2015 and beyond. Indeed, ASEAN Leaders have been very active in responding to these challenges by adopting the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Community Blueprints and Roadmaps which comprises 3 pillars namely ASEAN Politico-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community including the goals of narrowing development gaps within ASEAN.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to highlight the key achievements made in the implementation of the ASEAN Charter and the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community by 2015, and main challenges that ASEAN must address in the pursuit of the building of ASEAN Community and its connectivity with the global community.
The ASEAN Charter has truly been brought to life with the smooth operation of the new organizational structure as well as the finalization of related legal documents, thus creating the legal basis and institutional framework for the ASEAN Community and deeper regional integration. Nevertheless, ASEAN should have a comprehensive legal and institutional framework in line with the ASEAN Charter, including the institutionalization of a dispute settlement mechanism, the improved operational efficiency of ASEAN bodies and modalities, strengthened coordination among executing agencies, and enhanced resources mobilization, in order to expedite the implementation of ASEAN initiatives. Thus, ASEAN will be able to transform itself by going through a new phase of community building process to become a truly rules-based organization.
There is no doubt that significant progress has been made in the building of the ASEAN Political-Security Community. Regular dialogue and cooperation at all levels on issues of mutual concern have enhanced mutual understanding and trust among Member States. In this regard, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Free-Zone Treaty (SEANFWZ), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism have become crucial instruments to ensure regional security.
Moreover, the mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation in regional security have been strengthened through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus), ASEAN Chiefs of Security Agencies (MACOSA) and ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF). The ARF has now evolved into the region's premier security forum, which plays a positive role to ensure political, economic and strategic balance between great powers in our region. Moreover, the ARF mechanism also ensures that ASEAN plays a central role in maintaining peace and security in the region, and therefore will be the cornerstone of the ASEAN Security Community. In other word, the ARF is making progress on three main fronts, namely confidence-building, preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution.
Overall, all these mechanisms were formed in order to enhance mutual understanding and trust among countries, thus contributing to the maintenance of peace and security in the region. However, we must acknowledge that bilateral disputes among a number of ASEAN member countries, such as border disputes have become the foremost critical challenge for ASEAN in their pursuit towards the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015. Therefore, there is a need for ASEAN to put in place a practical mechanism for an effective dispute settlement in the region, thus ensuring regional peace, security and sustainability, especially among member countries.
The process of building the ASEAN Economic Community is in good shape with the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area for trade in goods, services and investment as well as the implementation of the ASEAN single window and trade facilitation. ASEAN is the region marked by high growth and political stability, a growing middle-income population, endowed by enormous natural resources. These endowments result in great potential for ASEAN’s internal growth and its economic attractiveness to external partners. However, the reduction of development gaps among ASEAN member states remains our critical challenge in ensuring competitiveness and attractiveness of the region and in achieving regional integration.
Moreover, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity is the most comprehensive plan underpinning the success of building the ASEAN Economic Community. To achieve this goal, ASEAN needs to engage all ASEAN Partners, including the Plus 1, the Plus 3 and other countries concerned, to support the implementation of the Master Plan in order connect ASEAN by both soft and hard infrastructures, in particular land, rail, air, waterway and maritime connectivity. At this point, I would like to emphasize that the Royal Government of Cambodia has given high priority to the construction of transport infrastructure to link with all of our neighboring countries including the missing railway section of about 257 km from Phnom Penh (Cambodia) to Loc Ninh (Viet Nam) within the framework of Singapore-Kunming Rail Links.
Furthermore, in response to the Global Financial Crisis, the ASEAN+3 countries launched the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM) and increased the size of the SWAP arrangements to US$120 billion. I would like to stress that the Chiang Mai Initiative was arranged after the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and proven during the recent financial crisis to be sound regional financial safety nets. Furthermore, a new ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) has been set up in Singapore to provide the surveillance and analyze the region’s economies. It will play an important role in maintaining the macroeconomic stability in the region.
However, recent developments in the global economy have exposed some main challenges for ASEAN. Therefore, over the medium-term, ASEAN should pay attention to promoting domestic sources of growth by diversifying growth base, expanding regional cooperation and accelerating regional integration in order to sustain high growth in a post-crisis environment. This requires us to double our efforts to fully implement as soon as possible the initiatives and action plans that we have already adopted. This requires us to prioritize, coordinate, and well sequence our work plan, especially avoid overlapping efforts and resources in implementing projects and initiatives in intra-ASEAN sub-regional cooperation, as well as in the ASEAN-wide framework and beyond ASEAN, such as cooperation in East Asia.
We have made considerable progress in building the ASEAN Social-Cultural Community. Yet, the recent developments in the world have put pressure on us to continue to exert our efforts to overcome key challenges. Some of the issues are regional, while some global in character, but having serious impact on our region, such as human resource development, disaster management and climate change. Indeed, ASEAN has realized very well these challenges, and has actively taken measures, aimed at enhancing intra-ASEAN cooperation as well as ASEAN cooperation with partners concerned in order to effectively find solutions to the above problems.
Over the past 44 years ASEAN has made tremendous strides, thus making ASEAN to become an “organization of global importance”. Certainly, this role will have a more comprehensive meaning a long with our continued efforts to achieve a cohesive and resilient community with increasingly regional and global responsibilities. In this regard, I think ASEAN community building and connectivity with the global community are closely linked together. In this connection, we should focus on the following important points:
First, the multi-polar setting becomes a dominant trend in the world, thus maintaining the ASEAN centrality is very crucial for ASEAN in shaping its future regional architecture. Moreover, within the context of post global financial crisis, East Asia is loaded with increasing importance and responsibility for leading the sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy. In this regard, the strengthening and deepening of integration in East Asia, in which ASEAN is the centrality, is indispensible.
Over the past, ASEAN has clearly showed its ability to serve as an attractive centrality of many processes, both at regional and global level in particular ASEAN+1 and ASEAN+3 with China, Japan and Republic of Korea, ASEAN-India, ASEAN-Australia, ASEAN-New Zealand, ASEAN-Russian Federation, ASEAN-US and East Asia Summits, as well as forums and mechanisms at sub-regional, regional and global levels.
Among the above mechanisms, EAS has expanded very fast as it now comprises 18 members with the recent participation of the US and Russia in the 17th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi last year. In this sense, I believe that the issue of geopolitics will play important role. Therefore, ASEAN should grasp all these existing opportunities in order to ensure that dynamic shift in power relations between great powers do not lead to strategic tensions, but rather result in a dynamic equilibrium, thus bringing about long-lasting and strong peace and security to our region. In this regard, we must uphold the driving force of ASEAN in all processes and make use ASEAN’s centrality to engage highly influential ASEAN’s dialogue partners to adhere to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and support ASEAN initiatives, as well as increase ASEAN influence in handing many other global issues.
In the longer term, ASEAN should look forward in expanding its connectivity to the East Asia Region through the establishment of Free Trade Area and Comprehensive Economic Partnership which we are arranging at present, then move toward the establishment of the East Asia Community in which ASEAN is the centrality. In the short and medium term, ASEAN will greatly benefit from the Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA), in which the least developed ASEAN members will be able to use the imported raw materials from China to process and export to more developed countries such as Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Second – As I emphasized from the beginning, in order ensure ASEAN Centrality in an evolving regional architecture, the most critical factor is to strengthen ASEAN’s competitive advantages and capacities by narrowing the development gap among ASEAN member countries and building a cohesive and strong ASEAN community based on the three pillars, as we have planned. In this regard, our top priority now is to realize the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity. As the financing still remains the major concern for newer ASEAN members, the implementation of the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund will accelerate the integration process of less developed members of ASEAN in both hard and soft components such as physical infrastructure and human resource development as the European Union has gone through.
Moreover, we should recognize that the promotion of sub-regional cooperation such as Greater Mekong Sub-region Program provides synergies for the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and narrowing development gap in the region, especially through physical linkages among countries concerned. For example, through the GMS Transport Corridors, Lao PDR will become a country with access to the sea. This will be very beneficial to participating countries. Given the enormous benefits of such initiative, the GMS countries are poised to transform the transport corridors into Economic Corridors by taking measures aimed at promoting transport and trade facilitation, and in particular increasing investments in the soft aspect of development, such as increasing financing human resource development, strengthening institutional capacity and skill training; and cross border market management.
Third, ensuring sustainable development is crucial in the post global crisis environment. We have witnessed that the Asian economies have recovered from the crisis before the other regions. Asia’s remarkable recovery clearly shows that, to some extent, the regional economy has become less dependent on the United States and Europe. However, we also note that the global recovery remains fragile due to uncertainties in some regions of the world. Moreover, recent global developments, such as the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa have caused the hike of oil price. The second US Quantitative Easing (QE2) has created upward inflation pressure in countries around the world, including in Asia. This clearly highlights the need to promote domestic sources of growth of the countries in the region to enable Asia to play a more prominent role in ensuring balanced and sustainable growth. Therefore, stronger promotion of regional cooperation and accelerated implementation of various initiatives and action plans that we have launched will be very high in our agenda.
Fourth, ASEAN is required to increase its participation in the cooperation on solving global issues. This is reflected in ASEAN contribution to world affaires. I believe that ASEAN should increase its participation in solving these issues of paramount importance as a solid organization. Thus, ASEAN, by all means, should have a common platform, concrete strategy, a more coordinated position in order to deal with important global issues such as the global economic-financial crisis, climate change, natural disasters, pandemics, transnational crimes and terrorism so on and so forth.
Finally, I wish to conclude that ASEAN has been among the world’s most successful regional organizations. Just 4 years from now, an ASEAN Community will emerge, and it will be confronted with the daunting task to find its rightful place in a dynamic and rapidly changing world. However, key to this process is to make concerted efforts to realize the vision of transforming ASEAN into a «region of solidarity, cohesion, forward-looking, living together in harmony, peace, stability and prosperity».
Thank You for Your Attention
Address at the 18th ASEAN Summit (Retreat-1)
Topic: ASEAN External Relations
Jakarta, 8 May 2011
(09:00-10:45)
Excellency Chair of the Meeting,
Your Majesty the Sultan, Excellencies ASEAN Leaders,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
May I now share with you all some of my views related to our agenda as follows:
1- East Asia Summit (EAS)
EAS has become an important component of the evolving regional architecture, which includes existing and mutually reinforcing processes such as the ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, ARF, and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus). EAS has expanded very fast and as of now comprises 18 members with the participation of the US and Russia in the 17th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi last year. In this sense, I believe that the issue of geopolitics will play an important role, thus we must uphold the driving force of ASEAN in all these processes and make use of ASEAN centrality to engage highly influential ASEAN dialogue partners to adhere to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and support other ASEAN initiatives as well as increase ASEAN influence in handing many other global issues. In this sense, while the geopolitical landscape of East Asia is evolving rapidly, ASEAN should further strengthen its institutional and internal mechanisms so that ASEAN can continue to be in the driver’s seat in coordinating with dialogue partners, especially the big powers, thus ensuring long lasting stability, peace and economic development.
Nevertheless, East Asia’s economic architecture should progress gradually and in phases, starting from trade in goods, reflecting ASEAN’s centrality. The process should begin with the rules of origin, custom tariff, customs related issues and economic cooperation as the building blocks for the realization of East Asia integration. In this regard, I would like to take note of the reports made by the four working groups of the ASEAN Plus including the working group on the rules of origin, the working group on custom tariff, the working group on customs related issues and the working group on economic cooperation. At the same time, I would like to urge our experts to review at the same time the recommendations of the study on East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) and other initiatives. At the mean time, we shall continue to strengthen cooperation in the five priority areas namely, energy, finance, education, combating avian influenza, and disaster management.
Moreover, in order to ensure and enhance ASEAN’s driving force, we should task our experts to accelerate the process of ASEAN Plus One FTAs by identifying gaps which are needed to be addressed and making an assessment aimed at proposing procedures for the Plus One FTAs as the building block to establish a regional architecture, especially the establishment of EAFTA.
2- ASEAN +1 and ASEAN+3
I am pleased to note that the relations between ASEAN and its partners have strongly developed through the strengthening of regular dialogue at all levels. I notice that the important outcomes in carrying out the plans of action to implement joint statements and agreements on strategic or comprehensive economic and political partnership.
On top of the annual ASEAN+1 Summits with China, Japan, Republic of Korea and India, we have started to hold Summits with Australia, New Zealand, Russian Federation and the United States. Moreover, within the framework of the strategic partnerships with China and Japan, I am pleased that the ASEAN-Republic of Korea relationships have been elevate to a strategic partnership. With this, I think we should continue to strengthen our cooperation and coordination in order to ensure ASEAN Centrality in an evolving regional architecture, especially the EAS.
With regard to ASEAN-China, Cambodia understands that the working group on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) has to exert effort to have a guideline for the implementation of DOC finalized before 2012 in order to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the DOC. Moreover, year 2011 is also the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-China relations. Cambodia hosted a seminar on ASEAN-China Youth Leaders on 4-5 May 2011 in Phnom Penh.
In the framework of ASEAN-Japan, we should enhance cooperation in the area of disaster management, as both ASEAN countries and Japan are vulnerable to natural disasters.
The year 2012 is the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations. As the coordinating country for ASEAN-India, Cambodia strongly proposes the meeting of the ASEAN-India Eminent Persons Group in order to prepare a vision for strengthening and expanding ASEAN-India relations and cooperation.
Moreover, ASEAN+3 will turn 15 years in 2012. Cambodia will issue a statement on the 15th anniversary in 2012 as Cambodia will be the Chair of ASEAN.
Thank you for your attention
Address at the18th ASEAN Summit (Retreat-2)
Jakarta, 8 May 2011
(11:00-12:45)
Excellency Chair of the Meeting,
Your Majesty the Sultan, Excellencies ASEAN Leaders,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen!
May I now share with you all some of my views related to our agenda as follows:
1- ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations
In order to enhance the reputation and role of ASEAN in the international arena, I believe that ASEAN should start from making every effort to achieve a strong and cohesive regional community. Based on a common platform, we should have a concrete strategy, a more coordinated position in order to deal with important global issues such as climate change, forests, global financial crisis, transnational crimes and terrorism. A strong and capable ASEAN Secretariat is another important instrument for enhancing our effectiveness, coordinating internal ASEAN positions, and representing and defending positions and common ASEAN strategy in international forums. In this sense, I would like to express Cambodia’s support for the proposal to strengthen the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat.
We witness that ASEAN’s role and reputation are rising in the regional and international forums, due to two important factors: first, ASEAN’s centrality role in many regional processes over the past; and second, ASEAN’s important contributions to key international forums including the G20 and cooperation with the United Nations.
At present, the reputation of G20 has been rising in importance and played significant role in shaping the regional architecture of global financial and economic system. Thus, all of us have to grasp the opportunity through this important forum in enhancing ASEAN’s contributions to global issues. This requires us to exert our efforts to seek support from all ASEAN Partners including the Plus 1, the Plus 3 countries and especially all members of the EAS for ASEAN Chair’s regular participation in the G20 meeting.
Moreover, ASEAN should strengthen cooperation with the UN in order to help address the current regional and global challenges. There is no doubt that without further concerted efforts and adequate resources available, we would not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 as scheduled. In this regard, I am of the view that we should organize annually the ASEAN-UN Summit in order to uplift the partnership to a higher level.
Over the medium term, overcoming protectionism and obstacles to enable developing countries to have access to markets of developed countries are the key factors to ensure sustainable development as well as to ensure MDGs attainment. In this regard, we should push for successful and immediate conclusion of the Doha Round negotiation under the WTO framework.
2- Exchange of Views on International and Regional Issues
I would like to congratulate Myanmar on the good result of the general elections and congratulate H.E. Thein Sein on taking over the presidency as the elected President of Myanmar. I believe that this success is not only for the people of Myanmar, but also for all ASEAN members.
In particular, I would like to reiterate our strong concerns about the unsettled bilateral disputes between ASEAN members, especially the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. We have seen very clearly that a series of military fighting occurred along the border not only caused the loss of senior military commanders and soldiers, but also caused damages to the national and world heritage temples as well as killed civilians, destroyed housing, assets and displaced thousands civilians. More importantly, the armed conflicts create very serious challenges for ASEAN’s reputation and image, especially our pursuit towards the ASEAN Community by 2015.
Therefore, once again I would like to urge the ASEAN Leaders to support and encourage all parties concerned to accept together the Indonesian observers in the capacity of ASEAN Chair and post them at the Cambodia-Thai border as soon as possible in order to monitor the ceasefire in accordance with the spirit of the outcome of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in February 2011 and in accordance with the mandate entrusted by the UN Security Council.
Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Royal Government and People of Cambodia, I would like once again to express our deep gratitude to Indonesia for her active role and strong effort as the ASEAN Chair in trying to mediate and find solution to the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.
Other Matters
Cambodia has made a bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2013-2014 and the vote will take place in 2012. In this regard, I would like to seek all ASEAN members’ kind support for Cambodia’s candidacy. I am convinced that ASEAN should have a consecutive non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
I would like to support Myanmar to assume the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014 and Laos in 2016.
I would like also to express our support for the ASEAN’s Proposal on join bid for FIFA World Cup 2030 to be submitted to FIFA this year. I hope the event will definitely elevate the reputation of ASEAN and further reunite our ASEAN family.
Thank you for your attention!
