Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations vowed Saturday to collaborate in assisting quake-devastated Japan. The foreign ministers of the bloc and Japan and their representatives met in the Asean secretariat in Jakarta to discuss their response to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis that hit Japan.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said all 10 Asean members had individually assisted Japan such as by sending funds and rescue teams. "What we did today was how to create collaboration among Asean members. So what was bilateral help, now they can be formed into a more cohesive assistance, a regional assistance," Natalegawa told reporters. Indonesia is the current chair of Asean.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who made an opening address before the meeting, also encouraged collaboration and solidarity to help Japan. "Effective and timely response to natural disasters of such magnitude require a co-ordinated and coherent approach," he said. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto welcomed Asean's help, saying Tokyo would also foster development in the Southeast Asian bloc.
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