The announcement was made by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during her
participation in the 21st ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, on 18-20 November 2012.
The Prime Minister also told the special session of the ASEAN+3 Summit that
Thailand supports the setting up of a mechanism to handle the ASEAN+3 Emergency
Rice Reserve in order to meet emergency requirements and achieve humanitarian
purposes.
The ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve Agreement was signed in October
2011 by the 10 ASEAN members and China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, and
it came into force on 12 July 2012. Under the agreement, each participating
country will earmark a certain quantity of rice based on its voluntary
decision. The release of rice reserved will be implemented in accordance with
rules and procedures set by the Council of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice
Reserve.
Thailand, as the world's major rice producer, is willing to be the location
of the Secretariat for the project and stresses its readiness to implement the
project, aimed at strengthening food security in the region. Prime Minister
Yingluck stated at the summit that Thailand is working with rice-producing
countries in Southeast Asia to develop a framework for cooperation on rice
exports and price stability.
Apart from the emergency rice reserve issue, Thailand also called on ASEAN
to initiate and promote rice and rubber trade cooperation to ensure price
stability and increase exports. The Prime Minister urged ASEAN to intensify
cross-border cooperation in combating drug trafficking and participate in the
Dawei deep-sea port project in Myanmar.
She emphasized the importance of financial cooperation in the face of
uncertainties in economic recovery. Therefore, various mechanisms, such as the
Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization, should be improved. The size of this
multilateral arrangement, presently at 240 billion US dollars, may have to be
increased.
The Prime Minister and other ASEAN leaders also expressed their
appreciation to Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, who will complete his term as
Secretary-General of ASEAN in December 2012. They confirmed and welcomed
Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh, as the next Secretary-General
of ASEAN.
The Prime Minister and her ASEAN partners also adopted the ASEAN Human
Rights Declaration and the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Establishment of an
ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center.
At the summit, it is also decided that 31 December 2015 be the deadline for
the realization of an ASEAN Community.
(thailand.prd.go.th)