III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 640 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding United States engagement 

with ASEAN and its member-states. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 

Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. WEBB) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding United States 

engagement with ASEAN and its member-states. 

Whereas the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 

(ASEAN) was founded in 1967 ‘‘to strengthen further 

the existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation’’; 

Whereas ASEAN membership has now expanded to include 

10 countries, which together span over half the size of 

the continental United States, with a total population of 

nearly 600,000,000 persons; 

Whereas ASEAN is an important contributor to stability and 

prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region; 

Whereas ASEAN partners with the United States Government and others in the international community to address transnational problems like terrorism, environVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:35 Sep 24, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR640.ATS SR640

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•SRES 640 ATS 

mental degradation, the international financial crisis, and 

maritime security; 

Whereas the ASEAN Charter, approved by Southeast Asia’s 

leaders in November 2007, codified norms for the behavior of ASEAN member-states toward their own citizens, 

covering such subjects as individual rights, democracy, 

the rule of law, and good governance; 

Whereas the combined economy of ASEAN’s member countries, valued at approximately $1,500,000,000,000 in 

2008, constitutes the fourth largest market for United 

States exports, and two-way United States-ASEAN trade 

in goods and services totaled over $200,000,000,000 in 

2008; 

Whereas Southeast Asia is the largest destination for United 

States foreign direct investment in Asia; 

Whereas almost 40,000 students from ASEAN countries 

studied in the United States in 2008, and an increasing 

number of United States citizens are studying abroad in 

these countries; 

Whereas the United States Government recognizes the centrality of ASEAN to regional cooperation and problemsolving in the Asia Pacific; 

Whereas the United States was the first country to appoint 

an Ambassador to ASEAN; 

Whereas the United States acceded to the Treaty of Amity 

and Cooperation in Southeast Asia during the July 2009 

ASEAN ministerial meetings in Thailand; 

Whereas the United States launched a new collaboration with 

the Lower Mekong Countries—Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam—in the areas of the environment, 

health, and education in July 2009 in Thailand; 


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•SRES 640 ATS 

Whereas President Barack Obama stated at the first meeting 

of the leaders of ASEAN and the United States held in 

Singapore in November 2009, ‘‘The United States is 

committed to strengthening its engagement in Southeast 

Asia both with our individual allies and partners, and 

with ASEAN as an institution.’’; 

Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the July 

2010 ASEAN ministerial meetings in Vietnam that the 

United States was ‘‘committed to assisting the nations of 

Southeast Asia to remain strong and independent, and 

[to helping ensure] that each nation enjoys peace, stability, prosperity, and access to universal human rights’’; 

Whereas Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense 

Robert Gates have stated the intention of the United 

States to increase participation in regional institutions, 

including the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus Eight, both to be held in 

October 2010 in Vietnam; and 

Whereas the second meeting of ASEAN and United States 

Government leaders, and the first to be hosted by the 

United States, will take place in New York City, New 

York on September 24, 2010: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate— 

2 (1) to welcome the leaders of ASEAN to the 

3 United States for the second ASEAN-United States 

4 summit meeting; 

5 (2) that the decision to host the second 

6 ASEAN-United States summit in New York City re7 flects the importance of ASEAN and its memberVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:35 Sep 24, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR640.ATS SR640

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•SRES 640 ATS 

1 states to the United States, and the importance of 

2 the United States to ASEAN and its member-states; 

3 (3) that the United States Government should 

4 continue to seek ways to broaden and deepen its eco5 nomic, political-security, social, and cultural engage6 ment with the countries in Southeast Asia toward a 

7 closer partnership with ASEAN and its member8 states, as well as other regional institutions in the 

9 Asia-Pacific region; 

10 (4) that the United States Government is com11 mitted to working with all ASEAN member-states to 

12 encourage the development of open and free demo13 cratic institutions in Burma that allow for the full 

14 participation of political opposition and ethnic mi15 nority groups; and 

16 (5) that a stronger, more integrated ASEAN 

17 serves shared interests in regional peace, stability, 

18 and prosperity. 

Æ 


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