ASEAN-US LEADERS AGREE TO CONTINUE DIALOGUE

Jakarta, Nov 16 (ANTARA) - The first ASEAN-US Leaders' meeting in Singapore on Sunday (Nov 15), in recognition of ASEAN's growing capacity and role in global issues, resulted in an agreement to continue the dialog between the two sides at the highest level.

The US stated its commitment to support ASEAN's continuing role in multilateral efforts where ASEAN had a growing ability to make contributions, according to a press release issued by the ASEAN Secretariat.

"The President of the United States also supported regional efforts initiated by ASEAN and ASEAN-led fora, to address the impact of the global financial and economic crisis in the region and looked forward to continued close coordination between such regional efforts and the global efforts undertaken by the G-20," said the declaration.

Also in recognition of the important role of ASEAN in regional issues, both sides said that they shared a vision of a regional architecture that was inclusive, promoted shared values and norms, and respected diversity within the region.

"We agreed to work closely together in building this regional architecture, and are ready to study initiatives of this nature. We reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN centrality in this process," the statement said.

In welcoming the outcome of the meeting, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said the successive and proactive re-engagement of ASEAN and the US had brought about a transformation of seismic proportions to ASEAN-US relations.

This re-engagement, he said, had come in the wake of a series of initiatives undertaken earlier this year including the visit by the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to the ASEAN Secretariat in February 2009 and her participation at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in July 2009 in Phuket, Thailand. The U.S. had also acceded to ASEAN's 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation recently.
The meeting in Singapore was co-chaired by Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, in his capacity as chairman of ASEAN, and US President e Barack Obama, who in his remarks had referred to ASEAN as an "organization of global importance."
President Obama was also quoted as saying that the US "is not just a Dialogue Partner but a member of the ASEAN family due to linkages with families in America."
In support of enhanced ASEAN-US cooperation in addressing regional and global issues, both sides agreed to increase collaboration and establish an ASEAN-US Eminent Persons Group.

Reflecting the importance of economic ties between ASEAN and the US, the leaders also stressed the need to further enhance economic cooperation and partnership through new initiatives to be agreed upon by the ASEAN trade ministers and the United States Trade Representative.
Reflecting the broad areas of cooperation between ASEAN and the US, the leaders also discussed issues relating to international terrorism and transnational crime; non-proliferation and disarmament; climate change; energy and food security; disaster relief and pandemic preparedness.

The second ASEAN-US leaders' meeting is scheduled for 2010.