The 44th ASEAN Day and the ASEAN Flag raising ceremony were held

Nay Pyi Taw, 8 August _ The 44th ASEAN Day and the ASEAN Flag raising ceremony were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, here, this morning.

The ceremony was attended by Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Deputy Ministers from the focal ministries of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Culture, departmental heads and officials.

The ASEAN Flag raising ceremony was observed in front of the Flag Pole of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 8.30 am today.

The ASEAN Flag was hoisted simultaneously with the playing of the ASEAN Anthem. Subsequently, the 44th ASEAN Day was celebrated at the Assembly Hall of the ministry and the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs read out the ASEAN Day congratulatory message of the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and delivered the commemorative ASEAN Day speech.

In his speech, the Union Minister said that ASEAN founded on 8 August 1967 has achieved success and transformed into a rules-based ASEAN in conformity with the ASEAN Charter. ASEAN is now striving to build an ASEAN Community in 2015. As Myanmar is ready to take the ASEAN Chairmanship, the matter has been duly informed to ASEAN. He also stressed that the rotation of ASEAN Chairmanship is traditionally decided by the ASEAN member countries.

Furthermore, the ASEAN leaders supported Myanmar's proposal to take the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2014 at the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta and the decision will be made in the forthcoming 19th ASEAN Summit in November 2011. In accordance with this year's ASEAN Day theme, "Unity in Diversity", ASEAN has displayed its unity despite having diverse political, economic and social systems. ASEAN Flag Raising Ceremonies in ASEAN member states show the best reflection of ASEAN's unity.

Afterwards, the Myanmar version of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint launching ceremony was held in commemoration of ASEAN Day. During the ceremony, the Union Minister presented the translated copies of APSC blueprints to the representatives of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(Source: the New Light of Myanmar 9-8-2011)