Remarks by
H.E. Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai
Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
Deputy Leader of Thai Rak Thai Party
Opening Ceremony of
Global Interfaith Dialogue and Launching of CDI Asia Pacific
Manila, the Philippines, 27 January 2006

Your Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines,
Honorable Jose de Venecia, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Vice President of Centrist Democrats International and President of CDI Asia Pacific,
Your Excellency Fidel V.Ramos, former President of the Philippines,
Your Excellency Jose Ma Aznar, President of Centrist Democrats International,
Your Excellency Ferdinando Casini, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Your Excellency Wilfried Martens, President of the European People’s Party,
Your Excellency Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Prime Minister of Norway,
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

           On behalf of the Prime Minister of Thailand, Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations on the formal launch of the Centrist Democrats International Asia-Pacific (CDI Asia-Pacific). I also wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the founding members of CDI Asia-Pacific for appointing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as Chairman of CDI Asia-Pacific. Indeed, the convening of the Global Interfaith Dialogue to mark the occasion of the CDI inaugural meeting cannot be more timely and significant.

           We are constantly reminded through bombings, kidnappings and other acts of unjustified and indiscriminate violence that Southeast Asia, too, is a victim of extremism and terrorism. But be that as it may, extremism and terrorism shall not be tolerated.

           This meeting, to which we are all gathered, provides an opportunity for us to speak clearly in one voice that we condemn extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. At the same time, it gives us an opportunity to emphasize the message of tolerance and of respect in diversity. For it is in the countries of Southeast Asia where people of all major different religious beliefs of the world live side by side. Dialogues through our democratic political party from various faiths will give us a chance to reinforce a culture of peace, harmony and understanding.

           This is why the Informal Summit on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace initiated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in New York last September was found so important in the struggle against intolerance, extremism and terrorism.

           Poverty, deprivation, underdevelopment, social injustice, lack of rule of law and despair are conditions often exploited by those advocating extremism and terrorism. These perpetrators of violence propagate the belief that globalization is also responsible. But their most despicable endeavour has been their misuse of religion to justify acts of violence and terror and to promote a culture of hatred and bigotry, inciting discord amongst people of different cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs.

           Plainly, this is unacceptable in a free and democratic society. We must condemn those who blasphemously use religion as a disguise for promoting extremism and terrorism. But at the same time we must not let those conditions remain conducive.

           Tangible and sustained efforts must not be spared at any cost towards poverty alleviation and eradication, restoring social justice, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that at the very least basic human needs are met by all our citizens. Our citizens need food to end their hunger, clean water to quench their thirst, clothes to cover and protect themselves and a shelter to dwell. All our citizens must be guaranteed the basic human needs and human security to remove such conditions conducive to extremism.

           Why is it so important that we, as political parties and governments, must join hands in the efforts to improve the human security of our citizens? In dealing with extremism and terrorism, an eye for an eye shall make all of us blind. Our ultimate desire is the well-being and happiness of our citizens. It cannot be achieved through or met by violence even if we maintain that the rule of law must always be upheld. Instead, striking to root out poverty, deprivation, biases and injustices can eliminate the conditions and excuses for extremism and bring peace and prosperity to our people.

           Well-being and happiness of our citizens also inextricably depends on the ability to live in a tolerant and understanding social conditions. We need to promote and sustain a culture of peace, a mindset of tolerance and an enduring respect for diversity of values. One way to achieve this is to promote a greater sense of community in the region and within countries, where all are considered stakeholders to progress and prosperity, despite differences in ideas and values.

           This will be a multi-stakeholder effort—involving governments, the private sector, civil society and the ordinary citizen. It is also a multinational effort with partnerships involving the South and North, multilateral agencies and international financial institutions.
           With their strong links to constituencies and communities in their respective countries, political parties can foster a sense of community, and with it a better appreciation for diversity, amongst the thousands of communities throughout the region. This deeper sense of community in various countries throughout the region will be an important asset in the continuing struggle against extremism and terrorism.

           I would, therefore, suggest a strong networking of political parties amongst countries in the region to facilitate further exchange of ideas and promote greater understanding amongst key political actors in the region. The International Conference of Asian Political Parties or ICAPP, which was launched also here in the Philippines, back in 2000, led by our distinguished friend Excellency Jose de Venecia, can serve as another vehicle to foster a deeper sense of community in the region. After all governments do come and go. But political parties endure. We must therefore promote the networking of Asian political parties as a backbone of the regional cooperation of the citizens of Asia and Pacific region.

           Asia also needs a pan-Asia cooperation among governments. Therefore, Thailand initiated Asia Cooperation Dialogue or ACD in 2002. You may not realize that Asia before 2002 did not have a pan-Asia cooperation. Today, serving as an “umbrella” for other regional and subregional community-building processes in Asia, the ACD with 28 Asian countries ranging from north to south and east to west Asia, can be used as an important forum at government level to facilitate peace, tolerance and prosperity in our region. The ACD also launches many projects for economic cooperation such as tourism, poverty reduction, and Asian Bond Market. The ACD Finance Ministers’ meeting will be held in Bangkok this April to agree on the next step of the development of the Asian Bond Market. The Aummit of the Asia-Europe meeting has tasked experts to study the linkage between the Asia and Euro bond markets.

           The private and non-government sector, through the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), can help create a sense of community in the region through enhanced interaction and networking amongst the business as well as the non-government sector.

           Together, the ICAPP which ties political parties, the ACD which connects governments of Asia, and the BFA which links non-governmental bodies of the region, can serve as a tripod to support a firm and stable Pan-Asian cooperation and solidarity. With this tripod, we may be able to say that Asia starts to have a roadmap and framework for future economic, social and political integration. The launching of CDI therefore complements ICAPP, strengthening this tripod and move all of us closer to the emergence of an Asian community.

           In closing, I would urge that the holding of this global Interfaith Dialogue together with the launch of the CDI Asia-Pacific send an unmistakable message, loud and clear, that the political parties in this region turn our backs on extremism and on divisiveness and embrace understanding, harmony and solidarity.
           Mr. Chairman, and many friends, we have the vision. We have the will. And we have the ways and means. Let us now have the action.
           Thank you.