Clinton asserts US values importance of ASEAN

PHUKET, July 23 (TNA) – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday asserted that the United States has valued the importance of the Southeast Asian region and is ready to strengthen its cooperation with the countries of this region.

Meanwhile, she praised the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for its effort to protect human rights, saying she expected the attempt could bring change in Myanmar, an ASEAN member that has been criticised by the US on its human rights record.

Mrs Clinton spoke after attending the ASEAN-US Ministerial Meeting held in the southern resort province of Phuket.

She said one major reason for her trip was to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the countries in ASEAN, as the US regarded ASEAN as an important grouping.

The US top diplomat said she was also proud to announce that the US would set up an American office in ASEAN.

Mrs Clinton said the signing of the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation would eventually help build stronger ties between the US and ASEAN.

The US considers ASEAN as playing an important role in terms of the economy, peace and security in the region, she said, adding that ASEAN is the world’s third biggest grouping of democratic countries.

In signing the treaty, Mrs Clinton reversed former US president George W. Bush’s policy. When the ex-president, who declined to sign the document, met with ASEAN leaders in 2006 to discuss economic cooperation, he criticised Myanmar for continuing human rights abuses by its military junta.

Mrs Clinton also said the US praised ASEAN for its efforts to protect human rights by beginning to set up a human rights body, and she noted that she hoped the move would help bring change in Myanmar.

Moreover, she urged Myanmar to follow suit with its ASEAN neighbours and take the road to democracy.

ASEAN foreign ministers earlier this week approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) for an ASEAN human rights body, which is expected to be launched at the 15th ASEAN Summit in October in Thailand as “The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.”

As for North Korea, Mrs Clinton said Pyongyang must comply with the United Nations Security Council resolution No. 1874 and affirmed the US intention that it was ready to hold talks with North Korea under the condition that the North Korea must stop all its nuclear activities.  (TNA)