Myanmar PM to attend ASEAN summits with other regional countries

Myanmar PM to attend ASEAN summits with other regional countries
www.chinaview.cn 2009-04-07 10:48:09

YANGON, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein will attend some summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with other regional countries as well as the United Nations scheduled to take place in Pattaya, Thailand, an official announcement from Nay Pyi Taw said Tuesday without specifying the date of his attendance.

The last 14th ASEAN Summit was held in Hua Hin, Thailand in February-March this year which Thein Sein also attended at the invitation of his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Myanmar has called for boosting economic cooperation among ASEAN members to win more development in the region.

Hailing some outcome of the last 14th ASEAN Summit, Myanmar said "ASEAN countries can enjoy greater regional development in the near future if they keep on boosting trade and investment cooperation in the economic sector in accordance with the fine tradition of their unity".

Noting that ASEAN is now trying hard to boost regional economic cooperation as part of the drive for establishing ASEAN economic community by 2015, Myanmar pointed out that being rich in natural and human resources, ASEAN region has economic opportunities and attracts the attention of investor.

Also taking note of that ASEAN members have endorsed the Declaration on Roadmap for ASEAN Community, Myanmar predicts that when ASEAN community emerges, the peoples of ASEAN members will be able to enjoy progress in the sectors of peace, stability, prosperity, social affairs and culture.

The Hua Hin ASEAN summit held discussions on the implementation of ASEAN Charter and exchanged views on regional and international issues, global financial crisis, disaster management, food and energy security, and regional and international situation.

At the summit, the ASEAN heads of government signed the Declaration on Roadmap for ASEAN Community.

More agreements were also inked which are -- ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement, Protocol to Implement the 7th Package of Commitments under ASEAN Framework Agreement on Service, and three programs for mutual recognition of ASEAN Quality.

Myanmar, which joined the ASEAN along with Laos in July 1997, ratified the ASEAN Charter in July last year.

Myanmar has urged its people to strive together in building the ASEAN community, anticipating that the future emergence of the ASEAN community by 2015 will benefit Myanmar citizens along with other regional members in sharing the fruits of peace and stability, prosperity and socio-cultural development.

ASEAN's three pillars are known as political security community, economic community and socio-culture community.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.