Flag of the Association of Sotheeast Asian Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] includes the 10 major countries of the region: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. East Timor is currently an guest observer. ASEAN just met this weekend in the beach resort town of Hua Hin in Thailand [one of my favorite places] along with represntatives from China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.
Some highlights from the meeting include:
"Japan's proposal for a so-called East Asian community will be up for further discussion, after Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said the region should have the aspiration that East Asia is going to lead the world."
"Asia has made a more rapid recovery from the global economic crisis than the United States and other western countries and sees itself in a position to boost its international influence."
"ASEAN called for free and fair elections in Myanmar in 2010 but failed to call for the release of the 64-year-old Suu Kyi."
"Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein told his counterparts that the regime could relax the conditions of her house arrest, which was extended by 18 months in August."
"The launch of what ASEAN said was a "historic" rights commission on Friday was meanwhile overshadowed by the barring of several leading campaigners from a meeting with the region's leaders to discuss the new body."
Border disputes between some of the countries, namely India and China and Thailand and Cambodia, also weaken the unity of the region.
Read the full article here:
Asian leaders to pledge commitment to EU-style bloc
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