"As the chair of ASEAN, Indonesia identifies three main priorities for which we have to make extra efforts," the head of state said in his speech opening the 18th ASEAN Summit at the Jakarta Convention Hall here Saturday.
The three priorities are : to ensure the attainment of concrete progress in realizing the ASEAN Community; to ensure the maintenance of order and condition in the region favorable for the achievement of development objectives,through the East Asia Summit, while maintaining the centrality of ASEAN; and to ensure successful discussion on the urgent need for a "post 2015 ASEAN" vision, namely the role of the ASEAN Community in the global community of nations."
"This means that ,Good Willing, by the time we form an ASEAN Community in 2015, we are well equipped to elevate ASEAN`s role to meet the global challenges ahead of us," he said.
The president stated that All ASEAN member countries` endeavors should be people-centered and all societies in ASEAN must be engaged in order to develop a sense of ownership and get their participation.
"Our people will be central and they will benefit the most from out initiative," he added.
ASEAN must enhance a multidimensional cooperation both internally among ASEAN members and the cooperation with dialog partners as well as with countries from other regions.
He also expressed his hope that the ASEAN Summit could agree on steps towards the East Asia Summit which will be organized next October or November this year in Bali.
"We share the hope that the East Asia Summit will make further contributions to the promotion of a stable and peaceful region that brings prosperity to all of us," the president stated before the ASEAN leaders attending the Summit being held in Jakarta, on May 7-8, 2011.(*)
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Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
