Community building urged at ASEAN summit

PHNOM PENH - Achieving the ASEAN economic community by 2015 requires greater commitment from members, the Cambodian prime minister said on Sunday, urging for more engagement on key mechanisms.

Addressing the opening ceremony for the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, chair of ASEAN in 2012, was stringent in his call for members to work harder, insisting "daunting tasks" remain ahead.

"Realizing the ASEAN Community by 2015 should remain our top priority," he stressed. He encouraged all ASEAN ministers concerned to formulate necessary policy measures to be implemented before 2015 in key areas, including tariff barriers, investment liberalization, connectivity and transportation, as well as mutual recognition arrangements on professional services and labor mobility.

He insisted that institutional building and regulatory reforms were needed to guard against protectionism. In addition, pushing for a speedy adoption of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which will be launched during this summit, was also highlighted by the prime minister.    

Hun Sen also urged ASEAN members to push for ASEAN to promote the effective functioning of existing mechanisms to ensure regional security and peace.

Treaties to declare ASEAN a nuclear-weapon-free zone, counter terrorism and promote regional cooperation have been in the pipeline for years, but are yet to be effectively implemented, Hun Sen said.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.