ASEAN makes great contribution to international cooperation: ambassador

JAKARTA (Xinhua) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made great contribution not only to the regional order, but also international cooperation, an Indonesian envoy said on Thursday.

Indonesia’s Permanent Representative to ASEAN I Gede Ngurah Swajaya said that development of an inclusive regional architecture with ASEAN as the driving force is essential to promote regional dynamic equilibrium.

The ambassador made the statement following the first official meeting chaired by Indonesia which officially took over the ASEAN chairmanship from Vietnam on Jan. 1, 2011.

He said that people-centered ASEAN is the key to making the association relevant to the public and to the attainment of the objectives of ASEAN Community.

Swajaya said that the efforts of promoting a united ASEAN in a community with evolving regional architecture will require ASEAN’s collective voice, assets, diplomatic networks and constructive solution-oriented mindset.

Although the ASEAN Charter prescribes that the chairmanship shall rotate based on the alphabetical order of the English names of the member states, this year Indonesia succeeds Vietnam instead of Brunei Darussalam.