Remarks by H.E. Mr. Kasit Piromya
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand
At the Closing Ceremony of the 42nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting
and Post Ministerial Conferences
23 July 2009, Phuket, Thailand
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Your Royal Highnesses,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
When Thailand took up the responsibility as ASEAN Chairman from Singapore, exactly a year ago, we were passed on the torch of ASEAN community-building. Since then, with the very active involvement of all ASEAN member States, much has been achieved.
A foundation for new ASEAN structure was laid down with the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter. Programmes and measures to be implemented to advance the ASEAN community in all three pillars had also been clearly projected in the Cha-am Hua Hin Roadmap for an ASEAN Community. New ASEAN bodies including the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the ASEAN Community Councils as well as the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN in Jakarta have been fully operationalised.
Over the course of the past five days, we were able to agree upon key issues paving way for a more effective and rules-based ASEAN. The ASEAN Political-Security Community Council has adopted its own Rules of Procedure which will serve as a model for the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Councils in the future. The draft Agreement on Privilege and Immunity of ASEAN has also been endorsed and the discussion on the establishment of ASEAN dispute settlement mechanism has made progress. These are key elements in conferring legal personality to ASEAN.
The adoption of the Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights, on the other hand, provides us with a platform for advancing ASEAN's efforts in the promotion and protection of human rights. The launching of this important body will be a testimony to our resolve to make ASEAN a ‘Community of Peoples’.
The accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia by the United States yesterday, together with the signing of the two MOUs on ASEAN-Australia and ASEAN-Russia cooperation, just witnessed by us, underscored our enhanced partnership with our external partners.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The outcome of our deliberations here will be further developed when our Leaders meet again during the upcoming 15th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits to be convened in October this year.
Between now and then, we must ensure full and timely implementation of our decisions to show that ASEAN is moving towards an action oriented community. Cooperation will continue to be enhanced so that ASEAN can respond more effectively to all pressing challenges, be it in financial and economic crisis, food and energy security, or pandemic diseases. We will continue to ensure that our peoples will fully benefit from ASEAN integration through narrowing the development gap, capacity building and improving connectivity within the region. We also need to ensure that all peoples actively participate and feel a sense of ownership in this ASEAN community-building process.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The task ahead of us will not be easy. But with sheer determination and in the spirit of cooperation among all of us, we can collectively do it. I am confident that, by the time we pass on this same torch to Viet Nam six months from now, ASEAN will be on course to becoming a more action-oriented and better-connected community for the benefit of our peoples.
At this opportunity, I would like to personally extend my deep appreciation to all my ASEAN colleagues who are with us today, for your active participation and support, as well as your determination and goodwill. A new era of cooperation and community building has begun with the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter. It requires our collective will to bring it into reality.
Thank you and I look forward to welcoming all of you back to Thailand once again in October.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th