Asia-Pacific

ASEAN summit touches people oriented issues

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-09 13:56

JAKARTA - The 18th ASEAN Summit on May 7-8 brought closer the bloc to people by touching such issues as women and children, migrant workers and football, not only matters of politics and economy, Secretary General of ASEAN Surin Pitsuwan said Monday.

He told audience in an event of post-summit that if people do not enjoy the journey of ASEAN, the community would not be solid.

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He said that the summit was the first in Indonesia addressing building community and bringing ASEAN into global arena by touching people oriented issues, that "very much brought ASEAN down to the people," said Pitsuwan.

He also said that the summit opened up route and space for youngsters to work each other, to learn and to share dreams with each other.

Pitsuwan also said that one of the most interesting issues discussed in the event was a joint initiative to host FIFA's World Cup in 2030.

According to the chair's statement of summit, ASEAN leaders agreed to "accelerate the undertakings towards the ASEAN Community in 2015 and to achieve a common platform for ASEAN beyond 2015 in Southeast Asia".

The bloc has a giant consumption market of nearly 600 million people and combined GDP of $1.8 trillion, according to the latest statement by ASEAN officials. Moreover, members of the body have registered robust growths following the global economic crisis.

Given progress achieved toward building "single-market" and "zero-tariff" zone by 2015, ASEAN is poised to have higher economic clout.