Cambodia to Send Delegation to ASCC Meeting in Bangkok

Written by DAP NEWS -- Tuesday, 11 August 2009 02:26

Cambodian will send a delegation to join the first ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council to be held August 23-24 in Bangkok, a press release from the Council for Develop- ment of Cambodia (CDC) said on Monday. The meeting will focus on the development of sectoral bodies under the ASSC council and each state must implement the ASCC blueprint, incl- uding priority areas and deliverables, for the 15th ASEAN Summit in Vietnam next year. The status of implementation of the ASCC blueprint, matrix of focal points and implementing sectoral bodies for various activities under ASCC blueprints, rules of procedures for the ASCC council, and outlines of the ASCC communication plan will all be discussed at the Bangkok meet, Sun Chanthol, senior minister and vice chairman of the CDC said. Sun Chanthol is charged with collecting ideas from relevant Cambodian ministries to submit to the ASEAN secretariat or ASEAN summit as the voice of Cambodia. The ASEAN Community Council has three pillars: ASEAN Political Security Community, ASEAN Econ- omic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, he continued. Each ASEAN community council shall meet at least twice a year and shall be chaired by the appropriate minister for the member state holding the ASEAN Chair-manship, according to regulations. ASEAN leaders have affirmed their strong commitment to improving ASEAN’s cohesiveness by 2015. ASEAN Community Councils ensure the implementation of decisions made at ASEAN Summits, Sun Chanthol explained, as well as coordinating the work of the different sectors under its purview and on issues which cut across the other community councils, and submitting reports and recommendation. “ASCC consists of 6 elements, including human development, social welfare and protection, social justice and rights, ensuring environmental sustainability, building the ASEAN identity, and narrowing the development gap between the old and new members of ASEAN. The leader signed the ASEAN charter in 2007 in Singapore. Cambodia ratified the agreement in March 2008.