Vietnam's Communist party appoints first US-educated official to top post

Nguyen Thien Nhan's appointment to elite politburo aimed at boosting Vietnam's image among investors in Europe and US

guardian.co.uk, Reuters in Hanoi,  Sunday 12 May 2013

Nhan, left, a deputy prime minister overseeing education, health and technology,
meets with Chinese premier Li Keqiang on Friday. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/AP

Vietnam's ruling Communist party has appointed for the first time a U.S.-educated official to its powerful politburo, a landmark decision as pressure mounts to reform an economy stagnating after years of boom growth.

The top decision-making body of the party that has ruled Vietnam since 1975 voted to increase its membership and bring in Nguyen Thien Nhan, a deputy prime minister overseeing education, health and technology, it said on its website (dangcongsan.vn).

Nhan, 59, a former vice mayor of Ho Chi Minh City, received a master's degree in public policy at the University of Oregon in 1993 and joins an elite group long dominated by politicians educated locally or in the former Soviet Union.

Vietnam's ruling party is facing its toughest economic challenges in years and has vowed reforms to tackle crippling debt in its banking system, and mismanagement at scores of cash-sapping state-owned firms.

Economists say policymakers have acted effectively to rein in inflation but have been too slow, or reluctant, to implement the sweeping structural changes needed to revive what was a promising "tiger" economy now growing at its slowest pace in 13 years, and put Vietnam back on foreign investors' radar.

Vietnam's economy is hamstrung by weak credit growth and consumer demand that has forced 113,000 businesses to close since 2011, when inflation soared to over 2% and foreign investors delivered only a sixth of the $64bn pledged.

The politburo also elected its second female member, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, deputy chairwoman of parliament. Ngan, also 59, is a former deputy minister of trade and finance. The two appointments will increase the politburo's size to 16 members.

Carlyle Thayer, an emeritus professor at the Australian Defense Force Academy in Canberra said Nhan's selection was likely aimed at boosting Vietnam's image among investors in Europe and the United States.

"Nhan's elevation is a reflection of the risk-adverse leadership in Vietnam," he said. "Despite his promotion and assumption of greater responsibility he is still responsible to the politburo and its consensus decision-making."

Newly inaugurated Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretary-General,
 Le Luong Minh of Vietnam, left, poses with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty
 Natalegawa, center, and former Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, right, during
 the office handover ceremony at the ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta, on Wednesday.
(EPA Photo/Mast Irham).

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Keeping the Peace a Priority for New Asean Chief

Jakarta Globe, Zubaidah Nazeer - Straits Times, January 10, 2013

Newly inaugurated Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretary-General,
 Le Luong Minh of Vietnam, left, poses with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty
 Natalegawa, center, and former Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, right, during
 the office handover ceremony at the ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta, on Wednesday.
(EPA Photo/Mast Irham).

               

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Jakarta. The new secretary-general of Asean began his term on Wednesday by saying the group needs to accelerate negotiations with China on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea.

Le Luong Minh also hopes to bridge differences within the 10-nation bloc so that Asean can reach its goal of becoming an integrated community by 2015.

The 61-year-old former deputy foreign minister of Vietnam is taking over at a time of heightened tensions over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

On Wednesday, the Philippines' Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario asked China to explain its deployment of a patrol ship to guard disputed territory it claims in the South China Sea.

del Rosario said Chinese diplomats have previously said that Beijing will only assert its claims, including by possibly intercepting foreign ships, in waters off its province of Hainan. But China also claims that most of the South China Sea falls under Hainan's jurisdiction, he said.

The Philippines has asked China to specify the limits of the territory it will guard, he said. "Everybody's hot and bothered," del Rosario said.

"That's why we're saying, define, please define for us, but they're not answering."

Tensions over the South China Sea ran high during a meeting of Asean foreign ministers in July last year, when the 10-member bloc failed to issue a joint communique for the first time in its 45-year history. Critics fear such national interests could drown out Asean's collective voice.

The failure also raised concerns that increasingly assertive big powers like China could drive a wedge in the group's unity. Four Asean nations — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam — as well as China and Taiwan claim territories in the South China Sea.

Minh, a seasoned diplomat for 38 years, says more must be done to shape standards, norms of conduct, build confidence and put in place measures to prevent conflicts and resolve them.

"Asean should speed up efforts towards an early start of negotiations with China, with a view to achieving an early conclusion on a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea," he said in his speech at the handover at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta.

Also speaking at the ceremony were his predecessor, Surin Pitsuwan, and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa. All touched on the importance of peace and stability in the region.

Minh is the first chief Asean diplomat from one of the four newer members that joined in the 1990s. He faces a daunting deadline of bringing about an Asean Economic Community by 2015.

"The more open flow of investments, capital, labor, goods and services will pose different challenges and opportunities for member states," he said.

Integration won't be complete without narrowing the development gap within Asean, he added.

"Providing our young people with good education is one of the most effective ways out of the poverty trap," he said.

Surin said that as Asean becomes the center of global growth in the next decade, prosperity will bring in more players.

"We cannot kick anybody out," he said.

"We can only manage their interactions among ourselves so we can benefit and we can help to sustain the strategic bonds that we would like to see here in the region."

Marty said that Indonesia, as Southeast Asia's largest country, wants to continue to play an active role in managing this.

"Asean must continue to be at the forefront of a regional architecture that promotes Asia Pacific peace and stability," he said.

Reprinted courtesy of The Straits Times

ASEAN adopts controversial human rights declaration

Deutsche Welle, 18 November 2012

Southeast Asian nations have adopted a controversial human rights declaration at their summit in Cambodia. Critics say loopholes will enable authoritarian regimes to suppress citizens by citing national security.

Leaders of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the joint declaration, claiming it would enshrine human rights for the region’s 600 million citizens.

"It's a legacy for our children," said Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario but Human Rights Watch's deputy Asia director Phil Robertson was scathing.

"Our worst fears in this process have come to pass," said Robertson.

"Rather than meeting international standards, this declaration lowers them by creating new loopholes and justifications that ASEAN member states can use to justify abusing the rights of their people," Robertson added.

Misgivings

More than 60 rights organizations had called for the agreement to be postponed, pointing to ASEAN's diverse political systems, ranging from freewheeling democracy in the Philippines to authoritarian regimes in Laos and Vietnam.

Campaigners had also cited a lack of transparency, saying there had been inadequate consultation while the text was being drafted. 

ASEAN's Surin (L) receives the
pact from Cambodia's Hun Sen

ASEAN secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said a "safety net" amendment had been inserted on Saturday to read that ASEAN members would "implement the declaration in accordance to the international human rights declarations and standards."

"This certainly can be used to monitor the practice, the protection, the promotion of human rights here in the ASEAN countries," Surin said.

"It's an important benchmark for ASEAN to be kept honest in terms of its human rights obligations," said Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

ASEAN invites guests

President Barack Obama, who on Sunday began a three-nation Asian tour in Thailand, is due to attend an expanded ASEAN gathering in Cambodia on Monday alongside guests including the leaders of China, India and Australia.

The South China Sea dispute between various Asian nations, including China, is expected to be high on the agenda.

According to the president's aides, Obama will also express "grave concerns" about Cambodia's rights record and press the need for political reform at a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

sej/ipj (AFP, dpa, dapd)

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Indonesia successfully takes ASEAN to greater height

Antara News, Fardah, Wed, December 7 2011 

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - When Indonesia assumed the ASEAN chairmanship in January 2011, ASEAN Secretary General Dr Surin Pitsuwan expressed optimism that the country could take ASEAN to a greater height.

The 19 th ASEAN Summit in Bali
on Nov. 17, 2011

"Indonesia has weight, international legitimacy and global appeal to draw tremendous support and attention from around the world to the ASEAN community building efforts that we are all engaging in now," Dr Surin said as quoted on the official website of the ASEAN Secretariat early this year.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was committed to leading the regional grouping meaningfully under his chairmanship themed "ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations".

The theme implied Indonesia`s determination to be engaged, proactively and use the ASEAN platform to enhance ASEAN`s profile in the global arena

"I do not want just the success of organizing the ASEAN Summits, related Summits and Ministerial Meetings," said the President last January, adding that he wanted to make sure that his ASEAN chairmanship must produce significant and concrete outcomes.

Indonesia was in 1967 one of the founders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which now groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

With hard work and the support of various parties, especially Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, and cooperation from other ASEAN member countries, Indonesia played its chairmanship role so well that there is now wide acknowledgement it has succeeded in bringing ASEAN to a higher level of progress and achievement.

Commendations came from among others UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who praised the Indonesian leadership in ASEAN in advancing and expanding regional cooperation through the sixth summit of East Asia with 18 countries participating.

"I really appreciate the leadership of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as ASEAN Chairman through the summit, which the substance to promote and expand regional cooperation," said Ban Ki-moon in a special interview with ANTARA in Nusa Dua, Bali, on the sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Summit and related Summits, November 2011.

The long journey of ASEAN regional cooperation which then was expanded with ASEAN +3 Summit and East Asia Summit brought together 18 countries with a total population of 3.7 billion is an achievement, he said.

Ban Ki-moon presented President Yudhoyono a "Global Champion of Disaster Risk Reduction" award from the United Nations on the occasion.

"The East Asia Summit (EAS) is now one of the largest regional cooperation forums in the world. I am proud to see this as a reality," he added.

The EAS has expanded from a 16- to an 18-country grouping, with the formal invitation to the Russian Federation and the United States, who seek to engage more closely with the region.

The inclusion of the US and Russia in the EAS was proposed by Indonesia in order to achieve a dynamic equilibrium, Marty Natalegawa once explained.

US President Barack Obama for the first time joined the sixth EAS which was attended also by the leaders of Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.

Obama congratulated Indonesia on its chairmanship of ASEAN and the EAS and the country`s efforts to promote regional security, nuclear non-proliferation, and disarmament; and commitment to making democracy and human rights platforms for ASEAN`s development.

"Finally, I convey to President Yudhoyono our appreciation of Indonesia`s regional leadership, which has helped us to achieve real progress on issues like disaster relief, maritime security, and nonproliferation. And I thank him for Indonesia`s efforts to promote democracy and human rights, and advance security and peace," Obama said in a statement issued after a bilateral meeting with Yudhoyono on the sidelines of the sixth EAS, in Bali, Nov 18.

Singapore`s Foreign Minister K Shanmugam in an interview with Channel NewsAsia, recently, said ASEAN had progressed well under the strong and able leadership of Indonesia.

"In the Thai-Cambodian dispute, Indonesia, as Chair of ASEAN, together with the other ASEAN countries, played a very useful role and the role that Indonesia played was mentioned by the International Court of Justice," said Shanmugam, adding that Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair 2011 had done well.

Specifically Dr Surin Pitsuwan mentioned to Tempo recently that Minister Marty Natalegawa should get credit for purposefully changing how ASEAN is viewed today by its member states.

"Do not underestimate the powers of Indonesia", the ASEAN Secretary General said, adding that. "Indonesia did splendidly", on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Bali.

He recalled that initially ASEAN had been seen as a regional bloc constricted by its non-interference policy. But, following Indonesia`s chairmanship, ASEAN has transformed significantly into a regional grouping whose members can come to the table and expect to resolve disputes and expand economic collaboration.

Another appreciation, according to Tempo, came from Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak who praised Indonesia`s role as ASEAN chair in drawing superpowers to attend the EAS.

Najib said that President Obama, "would not waste" his time coming all the way here if he did not see any value in it. Neither would the President of China.

On a separate occasion, on November 28, 2011, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay commended Indonesia`s "very positive" approach to human rights during its 2011 chairmanship of ASEAN and ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), and its vice-chairmanship of a second human rights body, the ASEAN Commission for Women and Children.

This year, Indonesia hosted the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta in May, and the 19th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Bali, November 14-19. Previously, ASEAN Summits had been held in this country in 1979 and 2003.

In 1976, when Indonesia chaired ASEAN, member states produced the Bali Concord I, which was based on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC).

It laid out the rules of the game for ASEAN and also for other powers that wanted to engage in any form of cooperation with ASEAN.

In 2003, ASEAN produced the Bali Concord II, which initiated the ASEAN Economic Community.

And this year, the Bali Declaration on ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations or the Bali Concord III was adopted during the 19th ASEAN Summit, to support its greater role globally.

The Bali Concord III was signed by the ten ASEAN leaders, namely Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, President of Myanmar Thein Sein, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, Filipino President Benigno Aquino III, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dun, and President Yudhoyono.

The Summit also adopted Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations.

President Yudhoyono mentioned nine main achievements made during the 19th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits.

The achievements were producing concrete measures to strengthen the three pillars of ASEAN community; strengthening regional economic growth; assuming a pivotal role in building a more efficient and effective architecture for regional cooperation; maintaining South East Asia regional stability and security; strengthening the role of ASEAN globally; promoting joint efforts to strengthen the economy of East Asia (East region); boosting joint efforts to develop platform and real action to address food, water, and energy security as well as climate change; advocating joint efforts to address non-traditional security challenges: natural disasters, terrorism, transnational crimes; and forging joint efforts to maintain peace, security and stability and order of East Asian region.

During its ASEAN chairmanship 2011, Indonesia managed to play a role as a peacemaker in the Cambodia-Thailand conflict over the Preah Vihear temple.

Indonesia and other ASEAN member countries collectively have also played a role in encouraging the Myanmar government to open up its political system and introduce other reforms more quickly.

Given the positive democratic developments in Myanmar, the Bali summit approved Myanmar`s proposal to assume the ASEAN chair in 2014.

Another significant achievement made during Indonesia`s chairmanship was progress in the implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), including the recent adoption of the Guidelines for the Implementation of the DOC;

"ASEAN now has become a more mature organization able to create stability and security in the region while also improving its economy and people-to-people relations. With such an asset, I believe ASEAN can contribute positively to the global community," President Yudhyono as the ASEAN Chair 2011 said in his opening speech in the Bali Summit.

The Indonesian president handed over the country?s position as the ASEAN Chair to Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia at the closing ceremony of the 19th ASEAN Summit.

According to Minister Marty, the hard work of ASEAN countries had successfully resulted in the improving security, peace, stability of ASEAN making the Southeast Asia region far from conflicts.

"In the midst of difficult domestic situation faced by several member countries, ASEAN has been able to make progress in a number of areas," said Marty in Bali on November 16, 2011.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

Indonesia provides additional office building for ASEAN secretariat

Antara News, Sun, November 20 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Gesturing Indonesia`s commitment to ASEAN, Foreign Minister Dr Marty Natalegawa handed over keys of an additional office building for ASEAN Secretariat to ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Some 30 years after donating the current Secretariat building at Jalan Sisingamangaraja, the Indonesian government had handed over another extension to the ASEAN Secretariat, to help ease the space crunch, the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat said in a press statement, here, Sunday.

Witnessed by more than a thousand delegates, as well as the local and international media gathered at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre, on Saturday, the two leaders expressed the hope that the new extension would not only facilitate the Secretariat - but also the entire ASEAN - to the next level of regional and international relevance.

"The provision of the extended premise reflects the importance the Government of Indonesia attaches to the role of the ASEAN Secretariat in enhancing the cooperation within ASEAN, and between ASEAN and external partners. It also emphasises the continued commitment of the Government of Indonesia to make Jakarta a diplomatic capital of the region," said Dr Marty.

Located just next to the ASEAN Secretariat, the new extension sits on a land area of 13,200 square meters, or slightly smaller than two soccer fields. Consisting of two buildings - four floors at the front, and eight floors at the back - the total build-up area is more than 21,000 square meters. The premises were previously occupied by the office of the Mayor of South Jakarta.

"As ASEAN gains importance, it also creates a lot of work for the Secretariat. It is the nerve centre which helps to co-ordinate the functions of all its parts. We have faced the space crunch for son many years, and we are delighted that the Indonesian government has come to our rescue," said Dr Surin.

ASEAN boasts of five members when it was founded in 1967. But as other Southeast Asian countries saw the potential and synergy of the regional group, others applied to join, and the ASEAN family grew in size. That growth also saw ASEAN maturing in importance, and it attracted Dialogue Partners, who felt they too had a stake at the grouping`s development.

Since its establishment in February 1976, the ASEAN Secretariat had operated out of Indonesia`s Foreign Ministry. The ASEAN Secretariat moved into its current premises in 1981. It was officially inaugurated by Indonesia`s former President Suharto on 9 May 1981.

Editor: Aditia Maruli

Ri soon to ratify ASEAN counter terrorism convention

Antara News, Thu, May 19 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is soon to ratify the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism (ACCT), the Foreign Ministry`s Director for ASEAN Political and Security Cooperation, Ade Patmo Sarwono, said here on Thursday.

"The process (toward ratification) is ongoing. Hopefully, it will happen this year," Ade said, adding that the government needed the approval of the House of Representatives (DPR) to the convention.

He said one of the unique factors in the convention was the existence of rehabilitation support for former terrorists or people related to terror activities.

The ACCT was signed by the ASEAN Leaders in Cebu, Philippines on 13 January 2007 during the 12th ASEAN Summit. The Convention aims to enhance the region?s capacity to confront terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation among the region?s law enforcement and other relevant authorities. It would be elevated to become a regional treaty once it has received ratification from at least six ASEAN Member States.

Six ASEAN member countries have already ratify the convention namely Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam.

ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan recently stated that the ACCT could serve as the cornerstone in enhancing the region`s capacity to confront terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation. The ACCT, he said, also enhances the region`s strategic role in the global strategy on counter-terrorism.

"I strongly encourage the remaining ASEAN member-states to expedite their respective ratification processes," he urged.

He said ASEAN had already been taking proactive measures against terrorism including the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter-Terrorism. The forthcoming entry into force of the ACCT would add new momentum to ASEAN`s concerted efforts in countering extremism and terrorism.

ASEAN, Dr Surin said, could offer its long history of experiences on addressing the problem of terrorism in the region and successfully managing other cultural and civilizational tensions despite the tremendous diversity in the region.

"We are determined to continue to cooperate not only in the prevention and suppression of extremism and terrorism but to address and remove root causes and conditions giving rise to these threats to humanity," Dr Surin said.

"The road to ending violent extremism, terrorism and global cultural discords might very well run through the ASEAN region," he said.

ASEAN`s approach, he continued, was the promotion of development that is equitable, inclusive, and that embodies peaceful and mutual respect among the various communities, taking into account their diversity and historical uniqueness.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

RI bloggers set up online ASEAN community

The Jakarta Post, Sat, 05/14/2011

As the target to establish the ASEAN Community draws near, the Foreign Ministry and Indonesian bloggers have started a blogger community as part to raise public awareness about the issues.

The association aims to form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community, which would span politics, security, economics and socio culture, by 2015. The country members of ASEAN are Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

If ASEAN functioned as a single economic entity, it would be an “economic country” of 600 million people and boast a GDP of US$1.8 trillion. It would be Asia’s third-largest economy and a cultural and trading bridge between China, India, the Middle East and the Pacific.

Hazairin Pohan, the ministry’s functional ambassador, said that the ministry felt it was important to cooperate with bloggers as the ministry did not have the capacity to disseminate information on ASEAN to the whole archipelago and the region.

“We see that not many people are aware of the plan to form the ASEAN Community by 2015. We want to raise people’s awareness on this issue because half of ASEAN’s regions, citizens and economic clout belong to Indonesia. Therefore, the rise of ASEAN means the rise of Indonesia too,” he said.

The declaration, which took place on Tuesday night, was attended by 50 bloggers from various regions in Indonesia, including Surakarta in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java and Makassar in South Sulawesi.

Blontank Poer, a Surakarta-based blogger who attended the declaration, said that the bloggers would meet again to discuss the content and other future development plans.

“We agree that the portal will be for the benefit of Indonesia and the ASEAN Community. We will blog good news, but will maintain our criticism if we see that the government is not doing a good job,” he said.

The content of the portal currently consisted of posts in Indonesian and English, with subjects varying from security to culinary.

“In the future, the content will also touch on light issues, such as tourist sites and local culture. We will ask permission from bloggers to put the contents we find interesting on the site and will link it back to the original source,” he said.

Hazairin said the ministry would send a letter to ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan to encourage the establishment of a similar community in other ASEAN countries.

Blontank said that if the bloggers agreed to join the community, they would discuss what language the blog should use and the content of the site.

The ASEAN blogger website is http://aseanblogger.com.

—JP/Tifa Asrianti

Sail Wakatobi-Belitong targets ASEAN involvement

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 05/10/2011

Indonesia plans to promote the maritime event “Sail Wakatobi-Belitong” to other Southeast Asian countries in keeping with its current role as Chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), ministers say.

Photo: Wakatobi / JP

The idea to encourage more ASEAN member states to get involved in the maritime event was proposed by Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said Tuesday.

"During previous events, such as Sail Banda in 2010, we saw other countries taking part, such as Australia [and] Thailand. This year, in connection with Indonesia's role as ASEAN Chair, we want more participation from ASEAN countries," Agung said after a meeting about the event at his office on Tuesday.

Agung added that a letter would be sent to the ASEAN Secretariat General to request that the organization inform neighboring countries of Indonesia's wish.

Fadel said this year’s event would be unique because it would involve two provinces, Southeast Sulawesi and Bangka Belitung.

"According to various research, both places are famous for their coral. Many tourists visit Wakatobi but not in large numbers. Belitung is also famous for its beaches. That's why we want to promote both of these places," he said.

The event in Wakatobi will be held in August, while the Belitung event is scheduled for October. The events will not comprise a yachting contest, but also social activities such as health services onboard vessels ship.

Wakatobi will also hold a mass wedding under the sea. (rcf)

New American Ambassador to Asean a Sign of Growing Ties

Jakarta Globe, Ismira Lutfia, April 27, 2011

US Ambassador to Asean David Lee Carden, left, shaking hands with Asean
Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Carden on Tuesday officially became the first US representative to the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, in a move seen as underlining the regional bloc’s growing
importance to the United States. (AFP Photo)

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David Lee Carden on Tuesday officially became the first US representative to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in a move seen as underlining the regional bloc’s growing importance to the United States.

Carden presented his credentials to Surin Pitsuwan, the Asean secretary general. With the appointment, the United States now has two ambassadors in Jakarta, which hosts the Asean Secretariat. The other is Scot Marciel, the US ambassador to Indonesia.

“It’s wonderful to be here when Indonesia is the chair of Asean, which is going to move forward under Indonesia’s chairmanship and it is doing so now,” Carden told reporters after his meeting with Surin at the Asean Secretariat.

A former attorney, Carden was sworn in as the United States’ representatives to Asean by President Barack Obama on March 29.

“The Asean Charter is something that all of us can expect that Asean will accomplish over the years and I want to do everything that I can help in that regard,” Carden said.

The charter, which was adopted in 2007, lays out the principles of the bloc, and also calls for the establishment of a regional free-trade zone.

In June 2010, the United States became the first non-Asean country to establish a dedicated mission to the regional grouping. It is the second Asean dialogue partner after Japan to send a resident ambassador to Jakarta exclusively to oversee relations with the bloc.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the Asean Secretariat on her first overseas trip in the position, in February 2009. It was the first time an American secretary of state had visited the secretariat.

“Proactive re-engagement of the US with Asean has reinvigorated Asean-US relations,” Surin said in a statement. “The historic Asean-US leaders’ meetings reflect the US’ recognition of Asean’s growing role in global issues. I am looking forward to working with Ambassador Carden to maintain this momentum.

Danilo Arana Arao, a journalism assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, told the Jakarta Globe that Asean had to be careful that it benefitted from Carden’s appointment.

“There has to be a concession in such a way that Asean will benefit more because the US has the history of exploiting certain territory just for its own benefit,” Arao said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Military (TNI) is gearing up for heightened security ahead of the 18th Asean Summit, scheduled to be held in Jakarta on May 4-8.

In an inspection of the forces that will help secure visiting dignitaries during the summit, the TNI’s chief of the general staff, Lt. Gen. Surjo Prabowo, said the security effort would also include the Jakarta Police and canine squads.

In a display of their readiness on Tuesday, soldiers gave a display of riot handling and evacuating dignitaries from high-rise buildings.

“We are organizing drills that might mirror actual situations so that there won’t be any doubts about the readiness of the security forces to take action to protect the VVIPs, even if that involves serving as human shields for them,” Surjo said.

Timor Leste officially applies for ASEAN membership

Antara News, Fri, March 4 2011

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Timor Leste on Friday officially applied for membership in the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) through its foreign affairs minister, Zacaria Albano da Costa.

The application letter was presented by Da Costa to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa representing the ASEAN chair.

Marty said Indonesia would soon convene a meeting of ASEAN member countries regarding Timor Leste`s application.

As to Indonesia`s stance toward the issue, Marty said Timor Leste was geographically part of Southeast Asia. "Geo-politically, geo-economically and geo-socio-culturally, Timor Leste`s future will be very much linked to the future of the Southeast Asia region," said the minister.

Based on ASEAN`s membership rules, an assessment would be carried out and meetings would be held to study Timor leste`s application. Later, based on a consensus among all ASEAN members, a decision would be taken on whether or not the application was accepted.

Right now Timor Leste was just setting up embassies in all ASEAN member countries. They so far already have four embassies, namely in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

During the Friday meeting, the two foreign ministers also discussed bilateral relations between Indonesia and Timor Leste. Marty said relationships between the two countries were accelerating and based on a determination to further develop and to further strengthen the relationship not only government-to- government but also people-to-people.

Meanwhile Minister Da Costa said the state of relations between Indonesia and Timor Leste was strong and solid. He also said Timor Leste was looking forward to further developing bilateral relations with Indonesia in every sector.

Editor: Aditia Maruli

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Minister vows strong RI leadership of ASEAN in 2011

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 12/18/2010

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Indonesia was committed to leading ASEAN and making it a prominent member of the global community.

After attending a Cabinet meeting on Friday to discuss preparations for next year’s ASEAN summits and the East Asia Summit, Marty said Indonesia wanted to develop Jakarta into ASEAN’s “diplomatic capital”.

Marty said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had invited ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan to attend the meeting because of Indonesia’s goals for its ASEAN chairmanship. Surin said this was the first such meeting he had attended while serving as secretary-general of the regional forum.

At the meeting, Surin was asked to share his views on how Indonesia could realize its targets regarding its chairmanship of ASEAN next year.

“I guess this shows the President’s seriousness in ensuring that in 2011 Indonesia will not only chair ASEAN, but also lead ASEAN in a constructive way,” Marty said after the meeting.

Surin welcomed Indonesia’s goals and expressed his confidence that the country would realize them as long as it “proactively” played its role as ASEAN chair.

He said Indonesia’s membership in the G20 economic forum paved the way for ASEAN to enter the global stage, as Indonesia was Southeast Asia’s representative at the forum.

“You have your own problems and challenges, but the experiences you have had will certainly help ASEAN, integrate ASEAN and lead ASEAN into the challenges of the global community,” Surin said.

“I think the world and ASEAN are expecting that ASEAN, with its theme of an ‘ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations’, under Indonesia’s leadership is going to see a higher profile on many issues,” he said, referring to the country’s theme for 2011.

President Yudhoyono said he expected the ASEAN and the East Asian summits next year to be a success, citing a number of historic international events held in the country, including the 1994 APEC Summit that produced the Bogor goals and the 2007 UN Climate Change Conference in Bali that produced the Bali Road Map.

“Given the development at the global and regional levels, there will be a lot of issues that we’ll probably have to discuss in the ASEAN Summits and the East Asia Summit next year,” he said.

“I want the summits to be a success. That’s why I want the government to involve the public in organizing the events. We need to get universities, businesses, civil society, young people and others to join us in making the events a success.”

Yudhoyono said that while the ASEAN Summits would be held in April and October or November, the East Asia Summit would take place about the same time with the second ASEAN Summit.

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are expected to attend the East Asia Summit as the US and Russia join the forum of 10 ASEAN countries plus six: China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

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ASEAN health officials adopt Hanoi joint declaration on traditional medicine

English.news.cn 2010-11-02

HANOI, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The second Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Traditional Medicine conference closed here Tuesday, passing the seven-point Hanoi joint declaration.

The three-day conference was held under the theme of "Bringing Traditional Medicine to the National Healthcare System Towards a Feasible Model for ASEAN Countries," drawing ASEAN Secretary- General Surin Pitsuwan and more than 200 representatives from ASEAN countries, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, India and international medical organizations.

In the closing ceremony, Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Quocs Trieu said ASEAN countries were urged to build action plans and mechanisms for boosting cooperation in traditional medicine.

Representatives held fruitful discussions to share experience in attaching traditional medicine to the national healthcare systems and preserving rich resources of medicines in ASEAN countries to take better care of people, said Trieu.

The Hanoi Joint declaration will provide criteria for ASEAN countries to carry out and assess the implementation of cooperation in traditional medicine among countries, according to Trieu.

On the sidelines of the conference, an exhibition on achievements of traditional medicine of some ASEAN countries was held, showcasing posters and documents on traditional medicine.

Editor: An

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