Asia-Pacific

ASEAN foreign ministers convene for annual meeting

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-20 11:27
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HANOI - Foreign ministers from ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened in Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi Tuesday for their the annual meeting to discuss ASEAN integration and regional cooperation.

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Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the opening ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and delivered a speech.

Major topics at the meeting include accelerating the implementation of the roadmap for an ASEAN Community, strengthening ASEAN integration and connectivity, broadening and deepening relations between ASEAN and its dialogue partners, and enhancing cooperation to address global challenges.

According to the meeting's agenda, a Joint Communique will be adopted by ASEAN foreign ministers on major outcomes of the meeting later on Tuesday.  

ASEAN was founded in 1967 and currently comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Vietnam assumes the Chairmanship of ASEAN this year.

The annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting is to formulate the basic policies of the institution of ASEAN.