ASEAN chair Yudhoyono highlights issues addressed at 18th summit

Monday, May 09, 2011 11:38 AM

May 09, 2011

Xinhua

The chair of the ASEAN, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono highlighted ten issues addressed at the 18th ASEAN Summit conclude on Sunday.

Speaking at final press conference to the conclusion of the 18th ASEAN Summit, President Yudhoyono said that the main issue discussed during the summit was the efforts to establish Single Connectivity vision targets on 2015.

"Efforts to materialize this vision must be conducted swiftly by each country in the region as well as cooperation between countries in the region to do so,"the president told the press conference.

The following essential issues discussed during the summit were food and energy security, conflict management in the region, regional architecture, efforts to create ASEAN as a people- centered organization.

"The global sharp fluctuation of food and energy prices in the last six months have led to systematic changing towards efforts to alleviate public prosperity. Future cooperation among ASEAN countries and dialogue partners is essential to address the food and energy security issue,"Yudhoyono said.

Citing to efforts in settling the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand in their border, the Indonesian president said that peace solution has been exercised to prevent conflict from escalating. Other issues addressed at the summit were the need to improve disaster mitigation cooperation, sub-region cooperation among ASEAN countries and preparations towards the conduction of East Asia Summit (EAS) scheduled to take place in Indonesia in June.

"The upcoming EAS would be attended by the United States and Russia that would be joining the regional architecture group. This is an opportunity for ASEAN to improve its role in improving the economy, stability and security in Asia Pacific region," Yudhoyono noted.

Yudhoyono also said that Timor-Leste's plan to join the bloc was also discussed during the summit. It would be discussed further in the next ASEAN Summit to be held in Bali later this year.

Delegations in the summit were also approved on the switching of ASEAN chairmanship between Myanmar and Laos. With the switching, Myanmar will hold the ASEAN chair in 2014 and Laos in 2016.