| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
VIETNAM, Hanoi: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said ASEAN must strengthen co-operation to stay relevant on the global radar screen.
As the leaders wrap up their two-day summit, they take home with them new insights and a renewed resolve to produce concrete results.
Prime Minister Lee told the Singapore media that the time here has been useful for leaders to take stock of developments and progress.
He stressed that the grouping must stay on track and implement its economic blueprint and connectivity masterplan.
PM Lee said: "These are all major items where it is important for the leaders to show commitment and to give the process push forward. That's because the implementation is difficult and unless the leaders are committed to it and show that they are prepared to manage the political difficulties and overcome them, the process gets stuck.
“And I think the affirmations yesterday from the major countries that they understand the problems and they will see to it that this is done urgently."
ASEAN also wants to strengthen its regional surveillance and economic monitoring capacities to detect financial risks and vulnerabilities early.
To this end, the recent meeting of the ASEAN finance ministers had proposed setting up an economic surveillance unit next year in Singapore.
Mr Lee added: "Most importantly, it has to become a professional and objective and rigorous organisation, one which will be able to command respect and be able to give useful advice and be accepted as a basis of which countries can make decisions whether or not and how to help a particular country in distress."
Another challenge for ASEAN is staying relevant and remaining in the driver's seat in an evolving regional architecture.
So ASEAN has proposed an idea that would also involve the leaders of the United States and Russia in its dialogue process.
It's called the ASEAN plus 8 forum which will also see the countries in the East Asia Summit taking part. They include Japan and Australia which have come with other proposals such as the East Asia Community and the Asia Pacific Community.
PM Lee continued: "What it means is in the years when the APEC meeting takes place in Asia, then we can expect the American President and the Russian President to be here and we can have America and Russia participate together with EAS countries in an ASEAN Plus 8 grouping.
“I can't imagine the US President coming to APEC and coming to the East Asia Summit every year. And if he doesn't come and he sends some other official, the meeting will lose credibility, ASEAN will lose credibility and the same with the Russian President.
"If he doesn't come, we are going to be worse off. Whereas with APEC and the ASEAN Plus 8, you put it together, the Americans and the Russians will be there to ride on this meeting. It is a practical arrangement.
“I think and we have a chance to discuss at the same table to discuss Asia-Pacific affairs with all the participants present. That is a practical and a useful way forward. We have tasked the ministers to study this and other possibilities and I think we will find a good way forward on this one."
ASEAN's leaders now meet twice a year for their summits and with much work ahead for the ten-member grouping in the economic arena, the leaders will be given a progress report on the implementation of the Connectivity Masterplan and efforts to enhance ASEAN integration when they meet again at the end of year. - CNA/vm
|
