WORLD> Asia-Pacific
ASEAN summit to be held in Thailand in Feb
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-15 14:47

JAKARTA -- Ministers of ASEAN member countries have agreed to conduct the 14th summit of the group in Thailand in February, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said here Monday.

The summit initially due to open on December 15-18 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, but the political unrest in the country led to the postponement of the schedule.


(R-L) Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda, Cambodia's Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong, Brunei's Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah, Vietnam's Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Thailand's Information Minister Mun Patanotai, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo, Philippine's Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo, Myanmar's Foreign Minister Nyan Win, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Rais Yatim and Lao's Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith join hands during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Jakarta December 15, 2008. [Agencies]
Thai representative at the formalization of ASEAN charter in Jakarta was quoted by the Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo as saying that Thailand is ready for the summit.

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Romulo said that ministers of ASEAN have reached a consensus on the place and timing of the summit.

"The summit would be the third week of February," Romulo told reporters here.

Further decision would be made whether the summit would take place in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, said Romulo.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Thailand currently holds the rotating chairmanship.