Letter: ASEAN under RI’s leadership
| Thu, 12/30/2010 11:23 AM
I refer to the article “RI’s leadership in ASEAN: A positive contribution” published in The Jakarta Post dated Dec. 27.
On the eve of the beginning of Indonesia’s prestigious mandate of
chairmanship of ASEAN in 2011, it is appropriate to add to the
interesting aspects developed in the above mentioned article the
topicality of collective efforts to strengthen cooperation between the
United Nations (UN) system and ASEAN.
In this specific issue, a very recent resolution of the UN General
Assembly, submitted on behalf of 86 countries representing all
continents and adopted by consensus, welcomed the participation of ASEAN
in the high-level meetings between the UN and regional organizations,
as well as the collaboration between ASEAN and the Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific, based in Bangkok.
The ASEAN Charter is described in the resolution as representing a
historic milestone, reflecting a common vision and commitment to the
development of an ASEAN community so as to ensure lasting peace,
stability, sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and social
progress in the region.
The same document recognizes the value of partnership between the UN and
ASEAN in providing timely and effective responses to global issues of
mutual concern, in the context of partnership between the UN and
regional organizations.
It encourages the UN and ASEAN to explore concrete measures for closer
cooperation, particularly in the areas of food and energy security, the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, peace and security,
peacekeeping, post-conflict peace-building, climate change and disaster
management.
Special attention is paid in the same resolution to the cooperation
between the UN and ASEAN for enhancing the promotion and protection of
human rights through exchanges of best practices and capacity-building.
It can be realistically anticipated that under Indonesia’s leadership in
2011 all relevant tools of multilateral diplomacy will be used to give
tangibility to the theme of “ASEAN Community in a Global Community of
Nations”, in accordance with the imperative requirements of the
irreversible process of globalization.
Ioan Voicu
Bangkok
