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Asean needs
rethinking and retooling to face fierce competition and pressure
from the outside world, the new Asean secretary
general-designate, Dr Surin Pitsuwan said Tuesday.
"It would
not an easy road ahead. I have to be humble. I need a lot of
support from the 10-member Asean," he told The Nation in an
interview last night.
Dr. Surin
Pitsuwan said that it was an honour to be given such a high
confidence by the Thai government. "I will carry out my duty
with the utmost Asean interest in mind," he said.
At the
meeting yesterday, the Cabinet unanimously endorsed the
recommendation from Foreign Ministry of Surin Pitsuwan as the
candidate from Thailand. There are still procedures to follow.
His name will be soon be forwarded to the Asean foreign
ministers when they meet at the end of July in Manila. After
that, it will be formally endorsed by the Asean leaders at the
Singapore summit from 19-21 November.
“Asean is
facing fierce competition and pressure from the outside world.
It needs a lot of rethinking, retooling and readjusting to face
these great challenges," he said.
He
reiterated the Asean citizens have a lot of expectation and hope
concerning the future of the organization because there will be
a charter for the first time in four decades. "If I can be an
instrument to carry this aspiration forward, it would be a
welcome challenge for me."
Surin will
succeed the outgoing Ong Keng Yong from Singapore on January 1,
2008. The position is rotating in alphabetical order. He is will
be the first highest ranking senior to head the organization.
He served as
foreign minister from 1997-2001 under the Chuan Leekpai
government and has been active in activities related to
peace-building, conflict-resolution and civil society including
inter-faith dialogue and promotion of democracy. |
