Indonesian ambassador to ASEAN I Gde Ngurah Swajaya said on the sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Summit activities here on Monday that was why Indonesia had adopted the theme of "ASEAN Community towards Global Community of Nations" during its ASEAN chairmanship.
"It is hoped ASEAN could act as an entity on a number and not all of certain issues which are of common interest in stages," he said.
He referred to among others ASEAN joint statements on climate change, natural disasters and world peace as examples of issues that could tie up ASEAN members in a single voice.
When asked about procedures on determining the issues Ngurah said discussions had not yet reached details.
He said with a single voice ASEAN would have stronger power and bigger value to push through regional agendas at global forums namely US forums.
The Bali Declaration will accommodate the interest and the framework that would later be deliberated in various action programs. "The action programs will not as yet be discussed here (at the 19th ASEAN Summit)," he said.
He said the main goal was an agreement of the basic framework as elaboration of each program would be done after certain surveys.
Sixteen leaders are scheduled to attend the East Asian Summit namely 10 from ASEAN member countries and six from ASEAN partners namely Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the US.
Besides the leaders UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and ASEAN secretary general Surin Pitsuwan are also scheduled to attend the meeting. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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