BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, (PNA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III joined other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in affirming the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s Post 2015 Vision tied on people-oriented, people-centered and rules-based approach.
The President and his ASEAN counterparts also agreed to commit themselves to the development of the ASEAN Community’s post-2015 vision.
To realize this, the leaders tasked the ASEAN Community Councils to expedite their work on developing the ASEAN Community’s post-2015 vision. The councils must recognize the importance of promoting coherence and consistency in efforts to develop this vision, and build upon the achievements recorded in the implementation of the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community from 2009-2015.
They also requested the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) to further develop the central elements of the ASEAN Community’s post-2015 vision for endorsement by the ASEAN Summit in 2014.
The leaders also requested the ACC to establish a working group at the level of senior officials of the three pillars to oversee the overall process of developing this post-2015 vision by the 27th ASEAN Summit, with progress reports submitted to the 24th, 25th and 26th ASEAN Summits.
They expressed their continued commitment and involvement in the process of developing the post-2015 vision for the ASEAN Community.
Towards the conclusion of the 23rd ASEAN Summit, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok, 1967), the Declaration on the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (Kuala Lumpur, 1971), the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asia (Bali, 1976), the Declaration of ASEAN Concord (Bali, 1976), the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (Bangkok, 1995), the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II (Bali, 2003) and the ASEAN Charter (Singapore, 2007).
They also mentioned the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) which envisage the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015 and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity which would complement ASEAN integration.The ASEAN leaders also said they remain committed to the Bali Declaration on the ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations (Bali Concord III) and its Plan of Action (2012-2017) that brings the ASEAN common platform on global issues by 2022.