Malaysia Has Clear Vision On Asean - Delegate

By: Noor Farhana Ahmad Norain KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia), Jan 28 (Bernama) -- An Indonesian official has commended Malaysia for having a very clear vision on ASEAN as the chairman of the regional grouping for 2015. The Director-General for ASEAN Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja said Malaysia's clear vision could be clearly seen from the announcement of Foreign Minister Anifah Aman Monday on its eight priorities as the ASEAN Chairman. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat here Tuesday, Gusti Agung said the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) Tuesday would serve as 'housekeeping' on how to prepare for the 26th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in April. He was leading the Indonesian delegation for the SOM meeting, ahead of the Foreign Ministers' Retreat to be held here Wednesday. Anifah had said Monday that Malaysia's vision throughout the chairmanship was the creation of a 'people-centred ASEAN' involving all sectors of society in the grouping's activities. Malaysia has also set eight priorities as the chairman of ASEAN 2015, including to establish the ASEAN Community, to develop ASEAN Community's Vision, to steer ASEAN closer to the peoples and to expand intra-ASEAN trade and investment trough cross-border investments and trade. Asked whether there had been any discussions on the South China Sea issue in Tuesday's meeting, Gusti Agung said not much had been discussed as ASEAN and China were expected to have the next round of SOM meeting in April. "No particular date has been set by China. Last time we had the meeting in Bangkok and now is China's turn to host another SOM meeting," he said. The 7th ASEAN-China SOM on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) was held on April 21 2014 in Pattaya, Thailand. Asean member countries, and China signed the DOC in 2002, a fundamental document for maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. In a news conference Monday, Anifah said that the ASEAN Foreign Ministers were expected to exchange views in the context of the implementation of the DOC. He said the ministers were also expected to have consultation towards the establishment of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). The two-day Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat, held at the Sutera Harbour Resort here until Wednesday, will be the curtain-raiser for the series of ministerial and related meetings under Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship this year. -- BERNAMA