Asean Urged To Initiate Concrete Projects
By Sonia K

Bandar Seri Begawan - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo urged the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to initiate concrete projects and programmes that would flesh out the theme of the 12th Asean Summit: "One Caring and Sharing Community". The three-day 12th Asean Summit formally opened yesterday morning at the Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort and Spa.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam was the first to arrive after the Philippine President to the opening of the summit and was followed by other leaders in alphabetical order.

The leaders were led into the summit hall to start their first retreat session to discuss the future direction of Asean. The retreat style was adopted in the conduct of the sessions so the leaders' discussions would be informal and relaxed. After the Retreat Session, His Majesty joined other Asean heads of state and government for a working lunch. Leaders agreed to issue the Statement on the Doha Development Agenda of the WTO.

In the afternoon, His Majesty and other Asean leaders in a Plenary Session, were presented with a Report by the Chair of the 27t" Asean Inter-Parliamentary Organisation Assembly and the Report by the Chair of the 5th Asean People's Assembly.

His Majesty then attended a Dialogue Session between Asean leaders and members of the Asean Business Advisory Council. At the end of the dialogue, His Majesty and other Asean

Leaders signed the Asean Convention on Counter Terrorism; Cebu Declaration on the Blueprint of the Asean Charter; Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers; Cebu Declaration Towards a Caring and Sharing Community; and Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an Asean Community by 2015.

His Majesty then joined other leaders of Asean to witness the signing ofthe Instrument of Accession to the Treaty ofAmity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia by the Government, of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste; and the Declaration on the Deposit of the Instrument of Accession of the Republic of France to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Brunei was represented by His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Click Here To Have Your Say On This Story

Brudirect.com News

Brunei's Fastest Growing Website with