Obama sees huge potential in Asean

`Areas like Southeast Asia provide extraordinary opportunity,` Obama said as he delivered opening remarks of the U.S.-ASEAN Summit at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, Monday afternoon local time, Tuesday morning Jakarta time.As president, he said, despite the fact that the United States faces threats around the world, its foreign policy must make room for new frontiers.As president, Obama decided the United States would rebalance its foreign policy to become a Pacific nation.`And to play a larger and more active role in the Asia Pacific,` he said.That, he said, includes U.S. engagement with ASEAN, which is `key to the prosperity and peace,``And to our shared goal of building a region,` he said.He is hosting the event for the first time. Sunnylands was chosen because it is away from the cold and snow of Washington, D.C.The U.S.-ASEAN Summit is the seventh such meeting between the U.S. and ASEAN and is expected to serve as a forum for cooperation and a counterbalance to power in the Asia-Pacific region.
Editor: Fitri Supratiwi
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Obama says he has known Southeast Asia since childhood
Tuesday, February 16, 2016 08:37 WIB| 2,766 Views
Journalist: Hanni Sofia Soepardi


US President Barack Obama (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)As you know, I first came to know the people and beauty of Southeast Asia as a young boy, when I lived in Indonesia for several years with my mother.


Sunnylands, California (ANTARA News) - The President of the United States (US) admitted that he first came to know the people and beauty of Southeast Asia as a young boy when he lived in Indonesia for several years. `As you know, I first came to know the people and beauty of Southeast Asia as a young boy, when I lived in Indonesia for several years with my mother,` President Obama said as he delivered opening remarks of the U.S.-ASEAN Summit at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, California, Monday afternoon local time, Tuesday morning Jakarta time, when California time was 15 hours slower than Jakarta time. As the US president, Obama admitted that he had had the opportunity to visit almost all of the ASEAN countries. According to him, all delegates of the US-ASEAN Summit present and the ASEAN people have always shown great hospitality. `And I hope that I can repay the hospitality in the next few days,` he said. In his speech, President Barack Obama said he was very happy to welcome the ASEAN Heads of State / Government at the historic meeting. `This is the first time that the United States has hosted the US-ASEAN Meeting. This reflects my personal commitment, the United States' commitment to each country and to the people of ASEAN,` he said. He also expressed his gratitude to Laos, the Chair of ASEAN, and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh. `I express my gratitude to the (ASEAN) Chair with me from Laos, Secretary General Minh, and the ten ASEAN countries present today,` he said. The theme adopted at the first retreat of the US-ASEAN Summit was Promoting an Innovative, Entrepreneurial ASEAN Economic Community. The meeting took place at the Sunnylands Center & Gardens Interactive Gallery.
Editor: Fitri Supratiwi