MANILA, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines, the current chair of ASEAN
which will host the 12th ASEAN Summit and 2nd East Asian Summit from Dec. 10 to
13 in Cebu, the Philippines, said ASEAN countries aim to build a regional
community by 2015.
In a written interview with Xinhua Tuesday, Philippine Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs
Erlinda Basilio said the summit will issue a Cebu Declaration on Acceleration
and Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015.
She said such an ASEAN community will have three pillars: security
community, economic community and social cultural community.
"The theme of our chairmanship which is 'Our Caring and Sharing Community'
reflects President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's deep commitment to the realization
of an ASEAN Community by 2015," she said.
Basilio said that ASEAN leaders will issue a Cebu Declaration Towards a
Caring and Sharing Community "which puts people's welfare at the very center of
ASEAN programs."
The summit will also issue a declaration of the blueprint of the ASEAN
Charter, which will give the association a "legal personality" and provides "the
fundamental law to its activities and projects", she said.
The ASEAN leaders will also sign a declaration on protection of the rights of migrant workers and an ASEAN Counter-Terrorism Convention.