Remarks at The Luncheon in Honour of ASEA Foreign Ministers and The Eminent Persons Group on The ASEA Charter

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
AT THE
LUNCHEON IN HONOUR OF
ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS AND
THE EMINENT PERSONS GROUP
ON THE ASEAN CHARTER
TAMPAK SIRING PALACE-BALI, 20 APRIL 2006


Bismillahirrahmanirrahiim,

Excellencies,
Distinguished Members of the Eminent Persons Group on the ASEAN Charter,

Ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to welcome all of you to this historic Palace of Tampak Siring, and I am privileged to host this luncheon.

The choice of Bali as site of the ASEAN Ministerial Retreat and the meeting of the Eminent Persons Group is practical and wise. The calm and tranquility of this island paradise is conducive to deep and clear thinking. And then is precisely what we need to effectively address the vital concerns and issues confronting us in ASEAN.

The tasks that you are carrying out are challenging and complex. But at stake in the important work that we are all addressing is no less than the quality of life of the ASEAN peoples in the years to come. We have to work hard together. We cannot fail our peoples.

After this ministerial retreat, I am sure that we now have a clearer view of the course ASEAN should take in the months ahead so that it will in time evolve into the ASEAN Community that we have all envisioned. In that process of development, we have a great deal of matching to do. We have to match our respective national interests with those of our collective interest as a regional group. We have to match that collective interest with the interest of our dialogue partners. These require creativity and a steady supply of new and workable ideas.

At the same time, it is important that we maintain a clear and widely shared understanding of the role of ASEAN, the central role of ASEAN in our relations with our dialogue partners and in our interactions within the ASEAN family.

In all our Endeavors, we should be guided by the Bali Concord II and the Vientiane Action Program (VAP) as we enhance our cooperation with our dialogue partners. It is our basic responsibility to carry out every activity that is provided in that program. At every instance, we must deliver or our credibility is at risk.

At the same time, the recommendations of the Eminent Persons Group are keenly awaited, for the Group is at the vanguard of a delicate process of determining ASEAN’s institutional shape on the basis of the ideals, values and principles that have been our guiding stars over the decades.

Earlier today, I had the opportunity to discuss and exchange views with the members of the EPG. I am happy that it has made considerable progress and that, significantly, it has engaged civil society in its deliberations.

Indeed, ASEAN should be people-centred, that is precisely what we stressed at the meeting between the Leaders and the EPG in Kuala Lumpur last year. The people themselves and civil society should therefore be deeply involved in this twin process of attaining the ASEAN Community and building the ASEAN Charter.

In the long run, the success of that two-pronged Endeavour will be our best guarantee for the centrality of ASEAN in our relations and cooperation with our dialogue partners. It will also be the best guarantee that ASEAN will effectively and constantly serve the aspirations of our people.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I know that you have worked so hard, so in this occasion I would like to kindly ask you to be more relaxed and please enjoy your lunch.

Thank you.




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