Regional Security in Southeast Asia: Beyond the ASEAN Way

App. IV. DECLARATION OF ASEAN CONCORD INDONESIA, 24 FEBRUARY 1976

Appendix IV DECLARATION OF ASEAN CONCORD INDONESIA, 24 FEBRUARY 1976 The President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand: REAFFIRM their commitment to the Declarations of Bandung, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, and the Charter of the United Nations; ENDEAVOUR to promote peace, progress, prosperity and the welfare of the peoples of member states; UNDERTAKE to consolidate the achievements of ASEAN and expand ASEAN cooperation in the economic, social, cultural and political fields; DO HEREBY DECLARE: ASEAN cooperation shall take into account, among others, the following objectives and principles in the pursuit of political stability: 1. The stability of each member state and of the ASEAN region is an essential contribution to international peace and security. Each member state resolves to eliminate threats posed by subversion to its stability, thus strengthening national and ASEAN resilience. 2. Member states, individually and collectively, shall take active steps for the early establishment of the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality. 3. The elimination of poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy is a primary concern of member states. They shall therefore intensify cooperation in economic and social development, with particular emphasis on the promotion of social justice and on the improvement of the living standards of their peoples. ○ ○ ○ ○ 09 Reg Security Appendix 24/1/05, 1:05 PM 299 4. Natural disasters and other major calamities can retard the pace of development of member states. They shall extend, within their capabilities, assistance for relief of member states in distress. 5. Member states shall take cooperative action in their national and regional development programmes, utilizing as far as possible the resources available in the ASEAN region to broaden the complementarity of their respective economies. 6. Member states, in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity, shall rely exclusively on peaceful processes in the settlement of intra-regional differences. 7. Member states shall strive, individually and collectively, to create conditions conducive to the promotion of peaceful cooperation among the nations of Southeast Asia on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit. 8. Member states shall vigorously develop an awareness of regional identity and exert all efforts to create a strong ASEAN community, respected by all and respecting all nations on the basis of mutually advantageous relationships, and in accordance with the principles of selfdetermination, sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of nations. AND DO HEREBY ADOPT The following programme of action as a framework for ASEAN cooperation. A. POLITICAL 1. Meeting of the Heads of Government of the member states as and when necessary. 2. Signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. 3. Settlement of intra-regional disputes by peaceful means as soon as possible. 4. Immediate consideration of initial steps towards recognition of and respect for the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality wherever possible. 5. Improvement of ASEAN machinery to strengthen political cooperation. 6. Study on how to develop judicial cooperation including the possibility of an ASEAN Extradition Treaty. 300 REGIONAL SECURITY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: BEYOND THE ASEAN WAY 09 Reg Security Appendix 24/1/05, 1:05 PM 300 7. Strengthening of political solidarity by promoting the harmonization of views, coordinating position and, where possible and desirable, taking common actions. B. ECONOMIC 1. Cooperation on Basic Commodities, particularly Food and Energy i) Member states shall assist each other by according priority to the supply of the individual country’s needs in critical circumstances, and priority to the acquisition of exports from member states, in respect of basic commodities, particularly food and energy. ii) Member states shall also intensify cooperation in the production of basic commodities particularly food and energy in the individual member states of the region. 2. Industrial Cooperation i) Member states shall cooperate to establish lae-scale ASEAN industrial plants particularly to meet regional requirements of essential commodities. ii) Priority shall be given to projects which utilize the available materials in the member states, contribute to the increase of food production, increase foreign exchange earnings or save foreign exchange and create employment. 3. Cooperation in Trade i) Member states shall cooperate in the fields of trade in order to promote development and growth of new production and trade and to improve the trade structures of individual states and among countries of ASEAN conducive to further development and...