2007年VOA标准英语-Southeast Asian Leaders' Summit Opens

By Heda Bayron
Cebu, Philippines
12 January 2007

Development, trade and security issues will be high on the agenda as Southeast Asian leaders open their annual meeting. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from the central Philippine city of Cebu, where some serious work will be taking place behind the visible pomp and protocol 1.

 
Foreign ministers at the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, 12 Jan 2007
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, delayed by a month because of a typhoon in December, aims to push the region closer to the goal of a common market by 2015.

As Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo told journalists, this year's summit could result in a revitalized, more cohesive 2 organization.

"While we seek to build a more secure community, we are also intent on a community that will have stronger understanding of its identity, a community that is ever more determined 3 to be bound by its rules and its commitments," he said.

The leaders will discuss lowering trade barriers, and the free flow of services and of workers within the ASEAN Free Trade Area.

 
Alberto Romulo (10 Jan 2007)
Romulo says the leaders also will sign agreements on development and counterterrorism. The ASEAN foreign ministers on Friday drew up a draft agreement on sharing counter-terrorism intelligence.

Terrorism is on everyone's mind here. There were terrorist threats when the summit was first scheduled in December. Many people in the region think that those threats, as much as bad weather, pushed Manila to delay the gathering 4.

There were three deadly bombings Wednesday on Mindanao, south of here, which might have been an attempt by Muslim extremists to embarrass the Philippine government during the ASEAN meetings.

Airspace above the summit venues 5 has been designated a no-fly zone, and police in riot gear are very much in evidence on the roads leading to the venues.

The government leaders also will consider a blueprint 6 for an ASEAN Charter. Officials say a charter would make the grouping's agreements binding 7 on members, whereas they are now only advisory 8.

This could lead to changes in the way ASEAN works. Members of the group, for example, have strongly criticized Burma for failing to keep its promise to move toward democracy, and Romulo says ASEAN will continue to press Burma's military leadership on the issue. But the ruling generals have so far ignored the criticism with impunity 9.

With a charter, ASEAN would have enforcement powers, and member nations that ignore resolutions could be punished.

The leaders also will raise these issues and others - including energy security - when they meet Sunday and Monday with their counterparts from Japan, China, South Korea, India, East Timor, Australia and New Zealand.

In addition to the Philippines and Burma, ASEAN comprises Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand.