Surin to be Asean chief
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations needs rethinking and retooling to face increasing competition and pressure from the outside world, Asean secretary general-designate Dr Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday.
Surin will succeed Ong Keng Yong from Singapore on January 1, 2008. The secretary-general's position rotates in the alphabetical order of the 10 member countries. At its meeting yesterday, the Cabinet unanimously endorsed a recommendation from the Foreign Ministry for Surin as the Thai nominee for the position. Surin said it was an honour that the government had placed such high confidence in him. "I will carry out my duty with the Asean interest in mind," he said. "It will not be an easy road ahead. I have to be humble and I will need a lot of support from the other members of Asean," Surin told The Nation in an interview yesterday. Surin's name will be forwarded to the Asean foreign ministers when they meet at the end of July in Manila. His candidacy will then be formally endorsed by Asean leaders at their Singapore summit from November 19-21. "Asean needs to readjust to face the challenges of the future," Surin said. He said Asean citizens had great expectations and hopes concerning the future of the organisation, especially as there will soon be an Asean charter for the first time in the group's four-decade history. "If I can be instrumental in carrying this aspiration forward, it would be a great achievement for me," he said. Surin served as foreign minister from 1997-2001 in the Chuan Leekpai government.
|
