Asean chairmanship will help propel Myanmar on path of reform

Mr K. Shanmugam, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law, delivering the keynote speech on Feb 14 at the Rule of Law Symposium 2012. He said in Parliament that Myanmar’s assuming of the Asean chairmanship in 2014 will help propel the country further on the path of political reform. — ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

Posted at The Straits Times on Feb 14, 2012

Myanmar’s assuming of the Asean chairmanship in 2014 will help propel the country further on the path of political reform, said Foreign Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in Parliament on Tuesday.

He was referring to the liberal reforms that have taken place in Myanmar in the last two years, and the agreement by Asean leaders for Myanmar to assume the chairmanship of the regional organisation in two years’ time.

In 2005, Myanmar voluntarily agreed to skip its turn as chairman of Asean. Asean foreign ministers agreed at the time to let Myanmar assume the chairmanship when it was ready.

In November 2011, following a report of positive developments in Myanmar from then-Asean chairman and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Asean leaders agreed that Myanmar would assume the Asean chairmanship in 2014.