(VOVworld) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, will celebrate its 46th anniversary on August 8th. ASEAN has made enormous progress in forming a united bloc, becoming a successful regional organization, contributing to peace, security, and development in the Asia-Pacific region, and spreading its influence worldwide.
Representatives of ASEAN countries' Consulates in Ho Chi Minh city celebrate the bloc's 46th anniversary (VNA) |
Established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok, Thailand, with 5 founding members amidst regional wars, conflicts, and poverty, ASEAN has grown to include all 10 Southeast Asian nations and has brought made positive changes to the region. The 10 ASEAN members have made united strength, consensus, and a relationship based on friendship, mutual understanding, and trust, a foundation for achieving economic and political breakthroughs.
ASEAN’s most remarkable achievement in the past 46 years was to adopt the ASEAN Charter, the basis for an ASEAN community with three pillars: political-security, economic, and cultural. In a context of international complexity and security threats, ASEAN is determined to realize its commitments. ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh says: “ASEAN has two more years to achieve its target of building an ASEAN community by 2015. The bloc is determined to use its internal strength to achieve this target. Measures will be carried out cooperatively with close monitoring of progress. ASEAN has begun to build orientations for the period after 2015 and implementation mechanisms to ensure further growth and integration to enhance its competitiveness and become a regional organization with equal, sustainable, and fair development.”
ASEAN is assured of achieving its target on time because of its solid groundwork. The outcomes of the 46th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brunei last month confirm this. The ministers adopted a joint communiqué under the theme “Our People, Our Future Together” with high consensus on regional cooperative and development issues. They agreed to overcome security challenges and work together to build the ASEAN community by 2015 as planned. One of the thorniest issues is reaching a consensus on handling East Sea disputes. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told reporters on the sideline of the meeting. “The East Sea is a common concern of countries in the region. ASEAN has agreed with the desirability of resolving East Sea issues by peaceful means, avoiding the use or threat of forces, and abiding by international law including the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) between ASEAN and China. All countries are keen to complete the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) with China. ASEAN and China have agreed to meet to review implementation of the DOC and discuss the COC.”
ASEAN’s unity and consensus, particularly in resolving sensitive issues, has injected new vitality into members’ efforts to build the ASEAN community. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Netalegawa said: “Between last year and now, we have greater consensus in resolving the East Sea issue. We are looking forward to an ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with China in August to ensure that sufficient progress has been made on the COC.”
In the future, ASEAN will have to face many challenges, which are also opportunities for the bloc to strengthen itself. With its achievements over the past 46 years, ASEAN surely will continue to grow to guarantee peace and prosperity for all its people.