ASEAN Secretariat, 13 June 2008

During Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's historic visit to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of the 41-year-old regional organisation, ASEAN, reminded Mr. Rudd that ASEAN has been playing a central role in the evolution of community building efforts in East Asia.
 
Dr. Surin reiterated the major contributions of ASEAN "in the construction of various architectures existing in the region today."
 
In the joint press conference after bilateral talks, Mr. Rudd was asked to clarify his vision of a wider Asia Pacific Community. The visiting PM outlined his proposal made earlier in Sydney that has caused some concern that it could dilute the roles of existing institutions in the region, including ASEAN.
 
"We look into the future, in a larger region, with many more challenges. We want a debate on it," Mr. Rudd told the audience in the ASEAN Hall.
 
Dr. Surin said Mr. Rudd's proposal has already generated a lot of interest and debate in the region. "We want to know more about it. It is a vision of one leader, a very important leader of the emerging East Asian Community," he said. "I think there will be a discussion on the idea at many levels, in many forums, within ASEAN and outside ASEAN. I am sure Mr. Rudd will be asked to explain and a rather engaged discussion will follow."
 
Mr. Rudd made a major speech in Sydney recently calling for a creation of a new framework for cooperation to cover the Asia Pacific region. He argued that major powers of the region, including the US, China, Japan, Indonesia "and other states in the region" should play a part in the new structure. However, he also said that "the existing institutions" would continue to play their parts and make their contributions.

Earlier, Mr. Rudd launched the Second Phase of the ASEAB-Australia Development Cooperation Programme (AADCP-II), which will be executed in close partnership between the ASEAN Secretariat and Australia. It will target 12 priority sectors which account for more than 50 per cent of ASEAN’s trade in goods and services, including tourism, textiles and apparel, and fisheries.