REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PHNOM PENH - The 21st ASEAN Summit was officially opened on Sunday in by Prime Minister of Cambodia Hunsen at the Peace Palace, Phnom Penh. Hun Sen reminded every member to prioritize the establishing ASEAN Community by 2015.

"ASEAN must prioritize implementation of programs and plans of actions for building the ASEAN Community through the accomplishment of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community Roadmap," Hun Sen said in his opening speech, as reported by Arys Hilman from Republika.

The attention also includes review of the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan II (2009-2015) and the timely implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity. The 500 million USD fund of ASEAN infrastructure cannot cover the need of connectivity.

Hun Sen encouraged all ASEAN ministers to formulate important policies of tariff and non-tariff barriers, investment liberalization, connectivity and transportation, SME development, IAI, mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) on professional services and labor mobility, institutional building and regulatory reforms and institutional issues for AEC building. He also emphasized on the importance of regional peace and security for ASEAN's prosperity and inclusive growth.

ASEAN faces global challenges such as economic downturn in developed countries. The situation becomes worse by the slowing down of development in Asia and political turmoil in Middle East and North Africa. Other regional and global challenges are financial and economic crisis, climate change, the depletion of natural resources and pandemics

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