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INTERNATIONAL

One of them is in the Philippines, the but it was under our chair-
ASEAN Biodiversity Centre. And manship that we brought the
sixthly, we want to be able to get our ASEAN Charter all together
collective point of view across, so we and then we passed it to the
make statements in the UN, we take next chair, Singapore, to be
common positions, coordinate on signed. One of our priorities
policy, so on and so forth. So those is maritime cooperation and
are the six areas. we have established guidelines
for a hotline communication
Q: What are the recent achievements between ASEAN Member
so far under the Philippines' chair- States, covering the maritime
manship? area, and China. As you know,
Well, the way to approach that ques- there have been well-reported
tion is to understand what ASEAN problems, and this is one way
has become. I said it has become a to manage this kind of dif-
very successful organization since ference. Another area is the
it was first founded in the mid-60s. declaration on the role of the
Colonization had divided the region, civil service, as a catalyst for
separating countries for many years. achieving the ASEAN com-
In olden times, before the arrival of munity vision. In our coun-
western colonialism, there were all tries, the civil service is a very
kinds of natural links, but these were important pillar of national
all cut during the era of colonization. governments. ASEAN has
So, after the struggles for national been for many years the ful-
independence and the internal insur- crum of stability in the region.
gencies, the countries of the region It emerged at a time when
found a way to come together despite there was great power rivalry.
all the difficulties they had. And this Many people called Southeast Asia will discuss priority issues on how
is the great secret of ASEAN, the abil- the "cockpit of the nations' sort of to combat terrorism and violent ex-
ity to come together and sit around like the Asian equivalent of what the tremism, promote development and
the table despite all the differences Balkans were in Europe. But, ASEAN reinforce the institutions of ASEAN.
that divided them. And so, on this formed and seized its own destiny
basis, we have progressed along three to become a fulcrum of peace and, In addition, there is a committee here
main areas. The first is developing over time, ASEAN has elaborated a in Geneva of the ASEAN missions to
an ASEAN political security com- machinery so that all the competing the UN and the WTO and we have
munity, which addresses the security powers can dialogue with us, creating been organizing activities here to
questions, borders and so forth. The a broader scope for multilateralism. promote ASEAN. A couple of months
second one is the ASEAN Economic ago, we held an ASEAN Film Festival
Community or AEC, which is that Q: What activities/events will be held at the Palais des Nations. Last 12 and
part of ASEAN that is best known, during the second half of the year? 13 September, we organized ASEAN
because of the way we have been We have organized commemorative Secretary-General Le Luong Minh's
progressing, the size of our popula- activities to mark the 50" anniver- visit here in Geneva where he graced
tion, and our weight in international sary of ASEAN to also talk about our our ASEAN@50 Photo Exhibit at the
trade. The third area is the socio- cul- achievements. We are also moving Palais des Nations. He addressed the
tural community. This was the di- towards a completion of what we call UN and the diplomatic community
mension that was initially pioneered the framework for the code of con- as well as the academe/think thanks
by the Philippines. We did it when we duct for the South China Sea between in various fora/sessions.
last chaired ASEAN in 2007, and we ASEAN Member States and China
brought the region to focus on things aimed at improving understanding Q: Mr. Ambassador, could you tell us
like vulnerable sectors, poverty, edu- and to avoid future mishaps. We had a bit about yourself.
cation, women and children, and a successful annual foreign minis- Well, I am a professional diplomat,
youth empowerment, and we shep- ters' meeting last August and we are which is not necessarily a good thing
herded all of this into the ASEAN preparing for the summit meeting in some places. Some people have a
Charter, which was only recently of the leaders, which will be held in very jaded view about what we do.
concluded. It started many years ago, November in the Philippines. They But basically, I studied foreign rela-

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