General News
PRESS RELEASE:Outcome of ASEAN Foreign Ministerโs Retreat, 3rd ASEAN Political Security Council Meeting and Special Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating
The ASEAN Foreign Ministersโ Retreat, the 3rd ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC) Council and the Special Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) were held in Da Nang, Viet Nam on 13-14 January 2010. The meetings were attended by ASEAN Foreign Ministers, their Representatives and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, and chaired by His Excellency Dr. Pham Gia Khiem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam. These were the very first ministerial meetings of ASEAN being held in Viet Nam under its ASEAN Chairmanship of 2010.
Before the Meetings, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the Secretary-General of ASEAN had, for the first time, undertaken an Air and Road Trip from Thailand, via Savanakhet, Laos, en route Hue to their final destination and venue of the Meetings in Da Nang. The Ministers were impressed with the trip, which they regarded as a very good opportunity for them to observe by themselves an important road network connecting ASEAN countries along the West-East Corridor in the Mekong Sub-region. The trip also gave the Ministers the experience, factual findings and potential to deliberate plans for enhancing ASEAN Connectivity which is now a priority of ASEAN as decided by ASEAN Leaders.
Following are the major outcomes of the three Ministerial Meetings:
1. 3rd Meeting of the ASEAN Political Security Community Council:
The Meeting reviewed latest developments in sectoral bodies under the APSC Council. The Ministers agreed on the need to further enhance information sharing and coordination among the APSC sectoral bodies and stakeholders, and tasked the ASEAN Senior officials to implement the programme and activities as agreed.
Reviewing the implementation of the APSC Blueprint, and follow-up activities since the 2nd APSC Council meeting, the Ministers noted the significant progress and efforts achieved so far and emphasized the need to accelerate implementation in the 14 priority areas of APSC. The Ministers adopted the APSC Communication Plan. The Ministers also tasked the ASEAN Senior Officials, among others, to:
- Finalize the Guidelines for Accession to the TAC and the Third Protocol amending the TAC for the EU/EC to officially accede to the Treaty;
- Continue efforts to consult with the five Nuclear Power States on their possible accession to the Protocol of the SEANWFZ Treaty;
- Develop the Plan of Action to Implement the ARF Vision Statement; which is to be submitted to the ARF Ministerial Meeting in July 2010.
- Work for the effective implementation of the DOC.
The Meeting was briefed by Viet Nam on its plan to hold the first ADMM Plus Meeting with ASEANโs External Partners in Viet Nam and its proposal to establish a mechanism of โMeeting of ASEAN Chiefs of Home Securityโ.
2. Special Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council:
The Meeting considered and adopted the draft Terms of Reference on the High Level Task Force on ASEAN Connectivity as submitted by the Senior officials. As such, the Task Force, comprising of representatives from ASEAN Member Countries with strategic vision and comprehensive knowledge and assisted by experts specialized in related areas such as economics, transportation and information technology, would start their work very soon to develop a Masterplan for ASEAN Connectivity which is to be submitted to ASEAN Leaders at the 17th ASEAN Summit in October 2010.
3. ASEAN Foreign Ministersโ Retreat:
Following the ACC and APSC Council Meetings, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers held their Retreat-format meeting to deliberate on the directions and key deliverables in 2010. The discussions were grouped into two major clusters of issues: i.e ASEAN Community Building and ASEANโs External Relations. On ASEANโs Community Building:
- The Ministers further exchanged their views on how to develop the Leadersโ idea of enhancing regional connectivity and provided guidance for the work of the HLTF on ASEAN Connectivity. They agreed that ASEAN should focus on ASEAN connectivity while seeking to further enhance linkages with external Partners, especially in East Asia, as appropriate. They stressed on the need to give priority to connectivity in a wide range of areas from infrastructure, telecommunications, information technology, mobility of people, facilitation of trade etc.
- On the issue of narrowing the development gap, the Ministers agreed to step up efforts to formulate concrete projects and mobilise resources for the realisation of the 2nd Work Plan of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI).
- The Ministers welcomed the good work of the High Level Legal Expertsโ Group (HLEG). They endorsed in principle the ASEAN Protocol on Dispute Settlement Mechanism and its attached Rules. This Protocol on the DSM would serve as an important basis for ASEAN to settle differences and disputes in ASEANโs amicable manner as provided for in the ASEAN Charter.
- The Ministers also gave guidance to the AICHR to commence their work and develop a 5-year work plan as a basis for the AICHR to move forward.
- The Ministers agreed on the need for ASEAN to continue cooperation in coping with climate change, following the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change. This issue remains a priority of ASEAN. The Ministers tasked senior officials to work further on this matter.
- On ASEANโs External Relations
- The Ministers give guidance to further broaden and deepen ASEANโs partnerships with Dialogue Partners. They discussed priorities and preparations for the holding of various ASEAN Summits with Dialogue Partners, including the regular Summits with China, Japan, Korea, India, and the Second Summit between ASEAN and Russia, Second Summit between ASEAN and the United States (US). The Ministers agreed to promote ASEANโs representation at the G-20 Summit, and would work closely with the G-20 co-hosts (Canada and the ROK) to this end.
- Sharing their view on regional architecture and ASEANโs role, the Ministers reiterated the need for ASEAN to maintain its important role in regional cooperation and dialogue processes. They agreed to make greater efforts to further advance ASEANโs Community Building and implementation of the Work Plan on ASEAN Centrality. They welcomed new initiatives for regional cooperation, but added that any new mechanism should be supporting ASEANโs centrality, complementary and building upon the existing regional mechanisms, especially the ASEAN+1, ASEAN + 3, EAS and the ARF.
- The Ministers agreed on the accrediation to ASEAN from a number of countries namely Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Switzerland, Pakistan and Morroco. During their first Meeting early on 14 January 2010, the Ministers in view of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti on 12 January, expressed ASEANโs sympathy and condolences to the Government and people of Haiti. H.E Dr. Pham Gia Khiem, as the Chair of ASEAN, sent a letter to his Haitian counterpart later in the day.
The Meetings of the APSC, the ACC and the AMM Retreat concluded successfully. In his closing remarks, His Excellency Pham Gia Khiem thanked all his ASEAN colleagues for the success of the meetings which he believed would set the important ground for ASEANโs cooperation and work during the year 2010.
Additional Information
Country: Viet Nam
Website: http://asean2010.vn/asean_en/news/36/2DA7DC/PRESS-RELEASEOutcome-of-ASEAN-Foreign-Ministers-Retreat-3rd-ASEAN-Political-Security-Council-Meeting-and-Special-Meeting-of-the-ASEAN-Coordinating
Email: N/A
Phone: N/A
Contact Person: N/A
Source: Email from: Ms. Wahyuningrum (Yuyun)
When: 27/1/2010
