Presided over by Cambodia ’s President Hun Sen, the meeting focusedon major issues involving culture, environment, education, naturaldisasters, women and children, public health and social welfare.
The meeting aims to step up cooperation between member countries to enable an ASEAN Community to be formed by 2015.
Every country is expected to work together closely and support each other in the future to ensure peace, stability and prosperity across the region.
According to Hun Sen, the future ASEAN socio-cultural community will draw up plans on key areas such asnarrowing development gaps, developing human resources, ensuring socialwelfare and social justice, creating an ASEAN identity and ensuring theenvironment is protected sustainably.
Originally founded in 1967, ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA