Pm Abhisit Says Asean Made Fair Progress

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Asean made fair progress, PM says

By Kavi Chongkittavorn

The Nation

Published on December 16, 2009

On the first anniversary of the Asean Charter, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the regional body had made substantial progress by setting up mechanisms to move it forward to implement the three pillars an Asean community by 2015.

"We have moved forward with a clear sign that we are a rule-based organisation," he said in an exclusive interview with The Nation over the weekend.

Abhisit reiterated that the grouping should not take its centrality for granted. "You have to earn it. You have to deserve it," he said referring to the 10-member Asean, which he chaired for the past year. Vietnam is due to take over as chairman next month.

Abhisit said that "as long as Asean can continue to provide a good forum where key players in Asia and our dialogue partners and beyond come and meet, we can preserve our centrality".

When asked what he could have done dif-ferently throughout his chairmanship, he said protesters in April should not have been allowed to interrupt the Pattaya Summit.

He said the interface between Asean lead-ers and representatives of civil society groups should have been given more attention, with better handling of how civil organisations could integrate with the process.

"We should have taken more care. We thought we had taken enough care so that it was acceptable to all. Unfortunately that was not the case," he said, in regard to the second set of meetings with civil groups in Hua Hin. That was attended by only half the Asean leaders after a boycott by some civil groups' representatives.

Thailand had hoped to institutionalise this process to bring Asean leaders closer to local people's organisations.

At 46, Abhisit is the youngest Asean chair in its 42-year history. On behalf of Asean, he attended two G-20 summits in London (April) and Pittsburgh (September) as well as the first leaders' meeting between Asean and the US.

He said the important lesson he learned from being the Asean chair was the decisive role played by leaders' political will to move processes ahead or issues forward.

"Our officials will do what they have to do. Quite often they will get stuck in negotiations and there will be uncertainty about what to do. Unless the political leaders make their will and presence felt, often they cannot move for-ward; for instance on the issues of climate change and civil society, the key decisive role comes from political leaders."

Reflecting on the past year, he said: "I have been fortunate. I have had Asean leaders and dialogue partners who very much supported my chairmanship. So, we overcame some the difficulties during the year. That could not have happened without those political supporters."

(This interview will be broadcast on Channel 11 at 11pm on Monday.)

-- The Nation 2009/12/16

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[Credo]

I see this grouping as having made very little progress. Thailand's chairmanship of the ASEAN brought to light the fundamental weaknesses of the organization.

[animatic]

Considering their history and fundamental differences, ANY progress is positive.

We can't measure it by other yard sticks, but by their past functioning.

Climate talks by G77 G20 G8 don't seem to be much more fruitful either,

so a little perspective goes a ways here.

[Credo]

So which measuring stick should we use--the Gross Happiness Index? I have nothing against ASEAN, they can meet until the cows come home, but they have very little value and most of what they do is for show. The only decision I've seen them reach was the one to get out of Dodge....or I should say Pattaya...when the fireworks started.

Up until Hun Sen's little outburst, they were little more than a Mutual Admiration Society.

[sunsamourai]

Considering their history and fundamental differences, ANY progress is positive.

definitely still a very very long road for members to travel together. But hasn't any iconic figure, considered major in the Asean said some 2 millenia ago that :

"what is important is to travel, not to arrive" ?

Answer :

. . . uǝʞɐʇsıɯ ʇou ɯ,ı ɟı 'ɐɥppnoq

[hammered]

For those interested some of the products now on Thai shelves used to cost a lot more until ASEAN set up some framework to reduce tariffs etc.

ASEAN is basically about trade and quite conservative and therefore slow to enact anything.