Cambodian lawmaker hails ASEAN for commitment to community by 2015

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - A Cambodian senior lawmaker today admired the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for their collective and firm commitment towards building a community by the end of next year.

"Cambodian National Assembly in particular and AIPA (ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly) in general fully support all activities that the heads of the governments of all the ASEAN countries have decided together towards fulfilling an ASEAN community by the end of 2015," Chheang Vun, chairman of the Cambodian National Assembly's Commission on Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing.

He made the remarks at the Phnom Penh International Airport after returning from attending the 35th AIPA in Laos.

"With collective commitment and efforts of ASEAN leaders, it's clear that an ASEAN community will take shape next year," he said.

ASEAN Community consists of three main pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.  

The bloc determines December 31, 2015 for the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community, which will be a region of free flows of goods, services, skilled labor, capital and investment.