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ASEAN officials prepare for next month's summit

Senior officials in charge of economic, security and socio-cultural communities in ASEAN member countries met in the Phnom Penh on Mar. 4 to prepare agendas and documents for the 20th ASEAN Summit and related Summits scheduled for April 3- 4.
Senior officials in charge of economic, security and socio-culturalcommunities in ASEAN member countries met in the Phnom Penh on Mar. 4 toprepare agendas and documents for the 20th ASEAN Summit and relatedSummits scheduled for April 3- 4.

Opening meeting,Soeung Rathchavy, Secretary of State at Cambodia's Ministry of ForeignAffairs and International Cooperation, affirmed that as the 2012 ASEANchair, Cambodia will do its best to ensure the success of the ASEANleaders' summits and other related summits this year.

The meeting will update the progress in cooperation in human resourcesdevelopment, consultation on macroeconomic and financial policies,enhancement of infrastructure and communications connectivity, towardsthe aim of transforming ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods,services, investment, skilled labour, and flow of capital by 2015.

Regarding security issues, the officials will debate documents on aregional Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea, the establishment of anASEAN Institute for Peace and Recommendation, the original draft of atreaty on the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, and ASEANMaritime Security.

On the socio-cultural issues,they will arrange a number of documents including Concept Paper onSmall and Medium-Size Cultural Enterprises, ASEAN Regional Festival ofArts and Culture on Building ASEAN Community of Caring Society, ConceptPaper on ASEAN TV Channel, the issues of migrant workers, drug, climatechange, and women and children.-VNA
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