Thursday, 27 November 2008

ASEAN urged to rethink December summit in Thailand

PHNOM PENH, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam questioned on Wednesday Thailand's ability to host a regional summit next month because of the deepening political crisis in Bangkok, a Cambodian official said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the prime ministers of the three countries, meeting in Vientiane, had formally asked the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) whether the meeting should be postponed.

"Laos Foreign Minister has sent an official letter to the ASEAN Secretariat today upon the three Prime Ministers' request to ASEAN to talk with Thailand if they should suspend the summit," Koy Kuong said.

"The letter also requests ASEAN's Secretariat to talk with members of ASEAN countries whether the summit should be delayed to a later date amid Thailand's political crisis," he said.

The Dec. 14-17 ASEAN meeting also includes the leaders of China, Japan, Australia, South Korea and India, and is expected to address regional measures to bolster the financial system and boost flagging economic growth.

The meeting had originally been scheduled to take place in Bangkok, but was switched to Chiang Mai because of trouble in the capital.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. (Reporting by Ek Madra; Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Alan Raybould)

No comments: