The 10-member Asean bloc today gave its nod to Myanmar for chairing the organisation in 2014, in a move that will help the country come out of a long period of seclusion. “I can confirm that the leaders of Asean having received the recommendations by Asean foreign ministers have formally expressed the view and reached consensus to designate Myanmar as the chair of Asean in 2014,” Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said.
“During the course of the discussion today, I think all leaders are in agreement of the fact that significant changes have taken place in Myanmar and those changes have made it more conducive for Myanmar to carry (out) this responsibility,” he added.
However, Natalegawa emphasised that the decision of Asean leaders was grounded in the belief that Myanmar would continue on its path of reforms, which have included holding elections last year after a gap of over a decade and the freeing of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung Sang Suu Kyi, among other political prisoners.
South China Sea resolution
Even as the United States moves to strengthen its military presence in the Asia-Pacific, a development that has already drawn China’s ire, Asean remains convinced that its efforts to resolve the long-running South China Sea dispute is making good progress.
“As far as South China Sea is concerned, we are in a far better state than we were this time last year. As I have often said, we have the guidelines, we have the DOC (declaration of conduct of parties) about to be implemented, we have just begun the process of the Code of Conduct (for countries in the South China Sea) and there is increased confidence on part of all parties concerned to solve the problem through negotiation and dialogue,” Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said.
Indonesia, as the current chair of the Asean grouping, further said that it hopes the East Asia Summit members, which includes the United States, China, India and five other non-Asean countries, would agree on code of conduct for conduct in the region, dubbed the ‘Bali Principle’.
