Special Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on East Asia Summit, 11 April 2011, Bangkok, Thailand
On 11 April 2011, Mr. Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, hosted the Special Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok, Thailand, where the ASEAN Foreign Ministers, under the chairmanship of Indonesia, deliberated on strategic issues for ASEAN to reinforce its centrality whilst setting the future direction for the EAS, the possible outcome of the 6th EAS, to be held in Bali later this year, as well as how EAS should respond to security challenges, both traditional and non-traditional.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed to recommend to the ASEAN Leaders, at the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on 7 — 8 May 2011, to continue with the efforts on five priority areas, namely finance, energy, education, avian flu prevention (which would expand the scope to cover global health issue) and disaster management, as well as to remain focused on ASEAN connectivity and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia (CEPEA), which are essential to the growth and prosperity of the region.
In addition, the EAS, as the Leaders-led forum on strategic issues, would discuss political and security issues affecting the region and adhere to its objectives and modality as outlined in the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the East Asia Summit in 2005. The Ministers would also recommend that the Informal Meeting of the EAS Foreign Ministers, which is regularly held back-to--back with the annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) be formalized.
During the Meeting, the Foreign Ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues, such as the Special ASEAN — Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held in Jakarta on 9 April 2011, ASEAN cultural caravan, mutual consular assistance in third countries, developments in Myanmar, climate change, human trafficking, nuclear safety, maritime security and the participation of the civil society in the 18th ASEAN Summit.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th