Indonesian president: ASEAN Community success key to East Asian Community

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in Kuala Lumpur Sunday that the success of ASEAN in consolidating its community building is indispensable in ensuring the building of an East Asian community.

Susilo said the role of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asia Nations) as a driving force in community building beyond Southeast Asia would be enhanced if it was able to demonstrate that it had the capacity and mechanism not only to prevent and resolve conflicts through peaceful means but also to engage in post- conflict peace building.

"By strengthening cooperation in the political and security areas, ASEAN will be well equipped to play the role to promote the values of peace, prosperity and progress beyond the Southeast Asian region," he said.

Susilo made the remarks while addressing the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2005 here, in conjunction with the 11th ASEAN Summit and related summits to be held between Dec. 12 and 14.

He said more importantly, the promotion of human security should be a central agenda in regional community building in Southeast Asia and the East Asian region.

Susilo emphasized that the process of regional community building should be prevented from becoming exclusive and inward- looking.

"It must be geared towards becoming an inclusive and open process so as to serve as the building block for greater regional cooperation," he said.

On the rise of China, Susilo said he believed that it would become a positive factor in promoting regional peace and fostering greater cooperation among the countries involved.

Source: Xinhua