AEC launch date on track

 

Myanmar and other nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) last weekend have recognised the urgency of the successful establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 2015, at their meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

The Nay Pyi Taw Declaration, released today after the 24the Asean Summit on Sunday, stated that all nations reaffirmed the commitment to the aims and purposes of Asean as set forth in the Bangkok Declaration of August 8, 1967, in particular to promote regional cooperation in Southeast Asia in the spirit of equality and partnership and thereby contribute towards peace, progress and prosperity in the region.

“The success of the Asean Community can be ensured only by sustained efforts to further deepen and broaden the integration process and to narrow the development gap within and among Asean Member States and by enhancing Asean’s capability in addressing current and emerging issues of common interest and concern in a timely manner,” it said.

According to Kan Zaw, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, Myanmar will play a part in making the regional economic cooperation possible. 

“AEC is the one of the programmes. We plan to start the AEC in 2015. No need fully to complete the operations to implement the AEC. We are going to carry out the remaining programmes,” the minister said.

He continued that the ministry is carrying out work programmes to promote the AEC among businesses across the region. They are also trying to solve other challenges including gaps in economic development and taxation.

There were growing concerns that the community would not take shape in 2015 as planned, due to discrepancy in harmonisation of each member state. 

Asean consists of 10 nations - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The AEC aims to create a common market where the free flow of capital and skilled labour can create job opportunities and economic development in the region. Last weekend, discussions were also held on the key areas needed to manage different businesses among member countries when starting the AEC.

At the May 11 summit, the leaders also welcomed the progress made in implementing the Roadmap for an Asean Community (2009-2015), as well as other measures and commitments set out in various Asean declarations and plans of action.

They reiterated the commitment to further strengthen efforts to enhance Asean integration and narrow the development gap by building on existing initiatives such as the Initiative for Asean Integration (IAI), the Ha Noi Declaration for Narrowing the Development Gap for Closer Asean Integration (2001), the Vientiane Declaration on Enhancing Economic Cooperation and Integration among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (2004) and the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity (2010).

The summit, of which main discussion was on the disputes on South China Sea, brought over 400 local and international journalists to the capital city. 

Some expressed dissent over the lack of preparation on the Myanmar side. 

A reporter from Akahata news agency noted that there was no statement from the Summit meeting though the press needed more facts and details in their discussion on the South China Sea crisis. 

There was also no statement coming from preceding meetings - Asean Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Political and Security Community Council meeting, Asean Coordinating Council Meeting and Asean Economic Ministers’ meeting – on May 10. Details were unveiled at the press conference later on the day, prompting difficulties for the journalists to proceed with their reporting.

“The system was weak. We have no idea what they discussed without any summary of the meetings. We were in the meeting rooms briefly just for photographs and short videos. There is no record whatsoever on what they discussed and what the decisions were. Brief statements are welcomed, if they don’t want to reveal full detail,” said Sithu Naing, a VOA correspondent.

Ye Htut, Deputy Minister for Information, insisted that Myanmar showed no weakness in this regard. “There were decisions and we could only announce that after the meetings were over. There is no weakness.”

He also noted that Myanmar achieved more than expected from hosting the event, thanks to more decisions and discussions than what was observed at previous meetings.