Saturday, February 21, 2009

Welcome Remarks by the Secretary-General of ASEAN

Visit of Thailand’s Prime Minister to the ASEAN Secretariat

21 February 2009


Excellency Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand; Chair of ASEAN of the year 2009;

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen;

Good morning and a very warm welcome to all of you to the ASEAN Secretariat.

Prime Minister Abhisit, ASEAN, my Secretariat staff and all of us representing the Diplomatic Corps and international organisations based in Jakarta are greatly honoured by Your Excellency’s visit this morning.

I am pleased to note that Your Excellency’s visit is the third by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand to the ASEAN Secretariat; the first being the visit of Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai back in 1993.

Speaking as a Thai, I believe these historic visits underline the unwavering support of Thailand for ASEAN and the consistent Thai foreign policy of supporting regionalism in Southeast Asia. Since Bangkok was the birthplace of ASEAN in 1967, successive royal Thai governments have always felt a special obligation to see to it that ASEAN will grow up to be a successful regional organisation in our part of the world. This is almost the maternal instinct of Thailand.

Today, we will have the benefit of hearing from the Prime Minister of Thailand first-hand about his vision of ASEAN and his government policy for the Thai Chairmanship of ASEAN, which will last until the end of this year. Moreover, Prime Minister Abhisit is going to host the 14th ASEAN Summit in Cha-am, Hua Hin, next, at the end of this month. I believe we are all very interested in hearing from him what he intends to achieve at the upcoming Summit.

Mr Prime Minister,
Ladies and gentlemen,

 There is a lot of anticipation to get to know you. You have been described by none other than the Financial Times over the weekend that “Mr Abhisit’s CV makes him sound more like a potential Prime Minister of Britain than Thailand”. You earned a first class honours in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford. Before that, you went to Eton College, and one of your classmates at Oxford was none other than Boris Johnson, the Mayor of the City of London, who called you “Vejji” during his time with you - but I know that you are not a vegetarian.

We are here anxiously waiting to hear from you. Boyish and young you may be but I think the international community only in the past few weeks has been given a chance to get to know you - your eloquence, rhetoric and your wisdom. I think ASEAN is in good hands, in the hands of a young Prime Minister but a very mature person intellectually.

Mr Prime Minister, the floor is yours.

 
Keynote Address by H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand

at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, 21 February 2009


 

Your Excellency Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed my great pleasure and honour to address this distinguished gathering – all ‘friends of ASEAN’ – this morning. I also wish to extend my sincere appreciation to Dr. Surin Pitsuwan and his staff at the ASEAN Secretariat for the warm hospitality.

Just over a year ago, I had to let go of one of the most able and prominent members of my Democrat Party. He had a great political career ahead of him but he decided to leave Thai politics to dedicate himself to charting the course for a better future for the over 570 million people of Southeast Asia. His name is “Surin Pitsuwan”. What appeared to be a loss for the Democrat Party of Thailand is actually a gain for ASEAN, as he is now most effectively working for a larger regional constituency.

I personally admire his courage and sacrifice in accepting this important mission as we strive forward to make ASEAN a better integrated, more efficient and more resilient regional organisation. He once mentioned upon completing his first year in the office that one year felt like ten. I cannot agree more after completing my own first month as the Prime Minister.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

When five visionary leaders of ASEAN gathered at a seaside resort in Bang Saen, southeast of Bangkok, in 1967, they had only one vision and dream – that is to make Southeast Asia a region for peace, stability and prosperity.

Back then there was great skepticism about how ASEAN would survive as it was created out of an atmosphere of tension and confrontation. Even the individual countries in our region were at risk. Forty years on, ASEAN has gone a long way and is on course to realise that vision and that dream. Now, not only five but all ten countries in Southeast Asia are united by the bonds of regional unity.  

With the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter last December, countries in the region are now even more integrated than ever. ASEAN will be transformed into a more rules-based, effective and people-centred organisation, thus reinforcing the foundations for realising an ASEAN Community in the next seven years.

Along the way, ASEAN has also evolved into an internationally recognised and respected regional grouping. We have been able to attract our friends and Dialogue Partners from all corners of the world to participate in our regional development and support our community-building efforts. By providing a platform for engagement, dialogues and cooperation, ASEAN has also been instrumental in forging closer partnerships with all key players who have an impact in our region and at the global level.

Having said that, I would say that in this new era, ASEAN’s work has only begun. ASEAN still faces many international and regional challenges.

First, in an ever more globalised and interconnected world, no country nor region can be isolated from the international surroundings. We cannot afford to be complacent; we cannot afford to be inward-looking. There are newly emerging challenges and threats which tend to be transnational and transboundary in nature. The recent global financial crisis has, yet again, underscored the fact that no country in this region is immune to the expanding of global uncertainties. We must therefore step up our cooperation. To address the global financial crisis in particular, ASEAN Finance Ministers will have to begin their work in their meeting in Phuket tomorrow and I am pleased to deliver the opening remarks for that meeting.

Second, the perception continues that ASEAN is driven only by Leaders and governments. If we cannot make ASEAN more responsive to the needs of its people and one of that its people can have a say in, our goal of an ASEAN Community may not be fully realised. Increasingly, there is a need for ASEAN to be more connected to its people. 

Last but not least, to be effective and able to fulfil its additional responsibilities and functions as required by the Charter, ASEAN needs a Secretariat with better infrastructure, be it the financial means or staff.

Excellencies, 
Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we embark on a new era of ASEAN after the entry into force of the Charter, these challenges need to be properly addressed.

That is why Thailand has chosen the theme “ASEAN Charter for ASEAN Peoples” for our Chairmanship. It underlines the fundamental core of our philosophy, that is, people should be at the centre of our minds, at the heart of our cooperation, and the ultimate beneficiary of the ASEAN Community.

First, we will work towards a more effective ASEAN community-building. We want to see all the main organs and mechanisms of the ASEAN Charter in place and operational in order to map out strategies and oversee the establishment of the ASEAN Community by 2015. This includes the establishment of an ASEAN human rights body that is credible and realistic to enhance promotion and protection of human rights in the region.

The new ASEAN will also be characterised by its ability to act on behalf of Member States and function in a more rules-based manner. Having been conferred legal personality, ASEAN must be credible and transparent in the way it conducts business and compliance, monitoring and the amicable settlement of disputes will be the norm of ASEAN.

The new ASEAN will work more closely with regional non-state actors, be they the parliamentarians, private sectors and civil society groups.

To further enhance and promote people’s participation in ASEAN community-building process, ASEAN Leaders and I will meet with representatives from these various groups, including members of the parliament, youth leaders and civil society organisations next week. I am happy to inform the Secretary-General that our initial exchange with such groups has received a positive response and constructive feedback. I fervently hope that this will be an important turning point in our effort to create a sense of ‘ASEAN citizenship’ among our people. 

Second, Thailand assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship at a time when calls for greater regional resilience have become more important than before. 

Our region continues to grapple with natural disaster and pandemics, food and energy crisis, as well as financial volatilities. Our experiences in handling Cyclone Nargis and Avian Flu, for example, show that indeed ASEAN cooperation has moved forward and become effective. But there is still more room for ASEAN cooperation, which needs to be strengthened, so that we will be able to address the challenges confronting the welfare and security of our peoples in a more effective and timely manner.

The third key objective during Thailand’s Chairmanship is to reinforce ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture.  

Let me stress that while striving towards closer regional integration, ASEAN will continue to be an outward-looking organisation. We are forging stronger and more dynamic partnerships with the rest of the world in order to maintain regional peace, prosperity and social well-being.

Later this year, Thailand will convene the ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summits, which will be yet another good opportunity for regional leaders to have open and extensive discussion on issues of common interests. And indeed, Secretary-General, your initiative on having a Global Dialogue is very much supported by Thailand as the Chair of ASEAN.

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me conclude by emphasising that ASEAN will continue moving forward and the best way forward is to continue more rapidly in our journey, with focus and determination, towards the goal of building an ASEAN Community.

Only through a more integrated ASEAN, can we be competitive globally. Only through a more integrated ASEAN, can we withstand challenges. And only through a more integrated ASEAN, can we ensure a better future for all our peoples.

Thailand, as the Chair of ASEAN, is ready to play our part in this important endeavour to turn our vision and dreams into reality.

Thank you.


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