October 21, 2009
(Posted by CAAI News Media)
Leaders of 16 nations had confirmed their attendance at the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in the Thai seaside resort city Hua Hin from Oct. 23-25, a senior official of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.
Vitavas Srivihok, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's ASEAN Affairs Department, said that ten leaders from ASEAN member countries together with the leaders of the six dialogue partners have accepted an invitation to attend the 15th ASEAN Summit and related Summits.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, as well as the host, Thailand, while the six dialogue partners are China, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.
Highlights for the Summits include the inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, the adoption of a declaration on climate change to reaffirm ASEAN position in the negotiation under the UN Frameworks Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as the adoption of a declaration on education cooperation to achieve an ASEAN Community.
Other issues affecting the well-being of the peoples including food and energy security, financial stability, pandemics as well as disaster management will also be discussed in the upcoming summit.
Documents to be signed by ministers, among others, are: Agreement on Privilege and Immunities of ASEAN; Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the ASEAN-China Center; Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and China on Cooperation in the Field of Intellectual Property; Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and China on Strengthening Cooperation in the Field of Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment.
On Wednesday, ASEAN senior economic officials started here their preparatory meeting at the heavily-guarded Dusit Thani Hotel.
Security has been the most important issue for the host country which is trying to prevent a repeat of the April 11 Pattaya incident when thousands of anti-government red-shirted protesters stormed the 14th ASEAN Related Summits venue and forced the cancellation of the summits.
According to acting police Chief Pateep Tanprasert, Security preparations for the ASEAN Summit and related Summits are going as planned.
Thailand is mobilizing an 18,000 strong security force and imposing an Internal Security Act in Bangkok and the ASEAN summit venue to prevent protests during the ASEAN summit in Hua Hin.
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