RP bats for borderless ASEAN community

The Philippines is expected to make a strong push for counter-terrorism measures and regional community building during the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit which opens in Cebu, a world famous tropical island resort, on Jan. 10.

This was indicated by Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Luis T. Cruz, who said the Philippines hopes the summit will be remembered as a watershed in the campaign for the establishment of a borderless community in the region.

Cruz, who is also the Director General for ASEAN Affairs, said that at no time has the need for expanding cooperation and networking among the ASEAN members been more important than now in the face of increasing terrorist threats not only in the region but in the world.

He added that on the regional level, the Cebu Summit should be remembered as an event that highlighted common efforts to build a regional community.

Cruz said among the possible issues that will be taken up is a convention on counter-terrorism, with the extradition of terrorists and criminals among member countries as one of its important provisions.

The ASEAN convention on counter-terrorism is one of six documents endorsed by ASEAN Ministers meeting during the preparatory meetings held last month before the Summit was called off on account of Typhoon “Siniang.”

The others are the Cebu Declarations on the Blue Print for the ASEAN Charter, Towards One Caring and Sharing Community, On the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015, on the East Asian Energy Security and on the Protection and Promotion of Rights of Migrant Workers. (PNA)