CEBU, Philippines, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Leaders from 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and six dialogue partners will sign several declarations to facilitate the region's integration and cooperation during the 12th ASEAN summit meetings, Alberto G. Romulo, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs said here
Wednesday.
In a statement read out by spokesperson of the 12th
ASEAN Summit Vic Lecaros here Wednesday afternoon, Romulo said the Philippines
will help build "solid foundation" for deeper regional integration and
community-building after the 12th ASEAN summit meetings resumed here.
The 12th ASEAN Summit and related summits were
postponed by the Philippines last December, citing reason of a looming typhoon
threatening Cebu City, central Philippines.
Leaders from 10 ASEAN countries and its six dialogue
partners, namely China, Japan, Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New
Zealand, will gathered here to discuss issues concerning integration and
cooperation within the region in Cebu after the 12th ASEAN Summit and related
summits were re-scheduled from Jan. 12 to Jan. 15
Romulo said in the statement that leaders from 10
ASEAN countries will sign the Cebu Declaration Towards a Caring and Sharing
Community to reinforce their commitment to address issues like poverty
alleviation, improvement of children and women's social conditions, migrant
safety, mitigating disasters and potential pandemic diseases, all key common
concerns in the region.
Romulo, who is also Chair of the ASEAN Standing
Committee, announced that the Philippines will host next month a meeting of
ASEAN Regional Forum during which experts and eminent persons will discuss the
security situation in Northeast Asia.
"At this meeting, in the spirit of our offer, as
ASEAN Chair to facilitate or host the Six-party Talks, the Philippines will call
for the holding and will offer to host a Track-Two, informal gathering of the
countries involved in the Six-party Talks," Romulo said in the statement.
Romulo said ASEAN leaders are determined to hasten
the realization of the community by signing the Cebu Declaration on the
Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015, together with
the Cebu Declaration on the Blueprint for the ASEAN Charter.
He said the Cebu Declaration on the Protection and
Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers will also be signed by the leaders to
protect the large number of migrant workers from ASEAN countries.
The ASEAN leaders will also sign the ASEAN Convention
on Counter-terrorism, Romulo said, as "global terrorism has assumed new forms of
virulence and we will make sure that the community ismore secure and resistant
to the threat of terror."
A declaration on East Asian energy security is also
expected to be signed by leaders from ASEAN countries and its dialogue partners
to give the broader East Asian region the fuel to energize their growth,
according to the statement.
France and Timor Leste will also formalize their
accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, Romulo
added.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.