"The summit is important to reinforce the ASEAN position. We have to cooperate and stay together in the face of bigger powers," the former vice president said here on Saturday.
He made the statement on the sidelines of his visit to Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital where he observed the implementation of a free-of-charge cataract operation program.
Kalla said that Indonesia in its capacity as the ASEAN chairman could play an exemplary role for peace and for strengthening economic cooperation among member countries.
The 18th ASEAN Summit is held at the Jakarta Convention Center on May 7-8, 2011. It was preceded by a ministerial level meeting which was also organized at the same venue.
The ASEAN leaders who attended the first day of the summit are Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong of Laos and Prime Minister Dato` Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia.
Others are Prime Minister Thein Sein of Myanmar, President Benigno S Aquino III of the Philippines, Senior Minister of Singapore S Jayakumar, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
The ASEAN summit will discuss among other things food and energy resilience, global economy and the handling of terrorism and natural disasters.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
