Cambodia of ASEAN Chairmanship 2012: One community one destiny

Press Statement
on the Theme of Cambodia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN 2012
“ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny.”

1. It is an honour and privilege for Cambodia to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2012

for the second time, since it last chaired ASEAN in 2002-2003. The Chairmanship of

ASEAN will mark another historical milestone for Cambodia to ensure that the ASEAN

Summits and other related meetings hosted by Cambodia would have strategic

significance and political importance that will further contribute to the ASEAN Community

building.

2. The rationale for Cambodia to choose the Theme “ASEAN: One Community, One

Destiny.” for 2012 is to reflect the will of the peoples of ASEAN to continue working

together to build the ASEAN Community for all of its peoples, with the vision of “One

Destiny” for all peoples. Cambodia will do its best in the ASEAN spirit of belonging to the

same family and the same community.

3. As the ASEAN Chair for this year, Cambodia, in close cooperation and with the support

of all ASEAN Member-States, will continue to work on ASEAN’s current priorities, as

follows:

• Work toward attaining an integrated, connected, people-oriented, rules-based,

peaceful and prosperous ASEAN Community. ASEAN will continue to encourage the

participation of its peoples and other stakeholders of ASEAN in the community

building process, based on the ASEAN’s three pillars, namely political-security

community, economic community and socio-cultural community.

• Instill in the ASEAN peoples a spirit of unity in diversity, enhance greater

understanding among its peoples, and encourage youth participation in the ASEAN

Community. ASEAN needs to further promote greater awareness and build common

values among its Member-States about its culture, history and civilization. ASEAN

also needs to further promote greater interaction, networking and solidarity and

mutual understanding.

• Further enhance the rule of law and good governance. ASEAN continues to promote

dialogue and partnership among governments, private sectors and relevant

organizations to come up with new ideas, concepts and working methods to enhance

transparency, accountability, participatory and good governance.

• Enhance human rights promotion and protection within ASEAN, including the drafting

of the ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights as early as possible.

• Maintain and enhance ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture. ASEAN

has to show its ability to serve as an attractive centrality in regional frameworks,

particularly in the ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three, ASEAN Regional Forum

(ARF), ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus and East Asia Summit

(EAS).

4. To ensure its long-term development in the evolving regional architecture it is in

ASEAN’s best interest to envision beyond the building of the ASEAN Community beyond

2015.

5. To achieve the ASEAN’s above priorities and to maintain the momentum of ASEAN’s

progress, there is a need for Cambodia and ASEAN to work in concert to implement the

ASEAN Roadmap, to continue making steady progress in the ASEAN Charter

Implementation, ASEAN Connectivity and ASEAN Community building, and at the same

time to further advance ASEAN’s relations, cooperation, and partnerships with all

Dialogue Partners and Friends of ASEAN.