INDONESIA is confident the Bali Democracy Forum has made a positive
contribution to the region, even though studies have yet to be made to
determine if the international congress has helped to advance democratic values
and principles.
That was the message of President
Dato Seri Laila Utama Dr Hj Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his keynote address at
the opening of the fifth Bali Democracy Forum yesterday.
"These are not just outcome
documents, they are also testimonies to the increasingly shared commitment of
countries in the Asia-Pacific to democracy," he said, at the Bali
International Convention Centre's Nusa Indah Hall.
Yudhoyono added: "Every year
we express our determination, and every year we re-affirm our commitment to
democratic values and principles."
The president also said that when
the forum was inaugurated in 2008, three heads of state or government and
representatives from 40 countries attended, whereas this year, 11 heads of
state or government attended and representatives from 80 countries.
"I believe that such growing
participation means that the forum is serving its basic purpose of sharing
experiences and best practices in democracy. We have learned a lot from one
another, and mutually reinforced our commitments to democracy," he said.
Yudhoyono also said that in the
last five years, member nations had done something substantial through the
forum towards promoting democracy and political development in the region.
Co-chair South Korean President
Lee Myung-bak reiterated President Yudhoyono's confidence in the forum's
success over the years, saying that Asia was making "vigorous
progress" towards building more mature democracies.
"According to the Freedom in
the World 2012 Report, the Asia-Pacific is the only region in the world that
has witnessed a steady rise in political rights and civil liberties over the
past five years," Lee said.
The South Korean president added
that Myanmar, which was "rapidly forging ahead" in terms of
democratisation, was a prime example. He said that discussions held with
Myanmar's President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had reaffirmed his
belief that Myanmar would be able to achieve rapid economic development on the
strength of democratisation in years to come.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime
Minister Julia Gillard, who is also co-chairing the forum, said she had borne
witness to the success of democracy in Asia.
Referring to Yudhoyono, Gillard
said: "The experience of your own nation and that of many others has shown
us that the practices and values of democracy can be applied in this region.
This is important for the rights of people.
GOH DE NO
The Brunei Times
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