(VOVworld) – ASEAN Foreign Ministers convened the 14th meeting of the ASEAN Political –Security Community Council and the 18th meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council on Tuesday in Vientiane. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended the events. At the meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council, ministers finalized preparations for the ASEAN Summits and related meetings to take place over three days involving the leaders of ten ASEAN members, eight partner countries, and the UN General Secretary. The leaders are expected to sign and adopt or acknowledge about 50 cooperative documents within ASEAN and with ASEAN and partners. Ministers agreed on continued efforts to implement cooperative programs effectively, enhance solidarity, unity, and the central role of ASEAN, especially in resolving regional security challenges such as the East Sea conflict. Also that day, ASEAN Foreign Ministers signed the expanded Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in … [Read more...] about Preparatory meetings for ASEAN summits
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North Korea to convene assembly late June after rare party congress
North Korea said on Thursday that it will convene a session of its parliamentary in late June, following a rare congress of the country's ruling Workers' Party in May that cemented young leader Kim Jong Un's control of the isolated state. Delegates to the assembly meet annually to formally adopt the state budget and to approve key appointments and legal amendments, and the venue is also used to formally approve other decisions by the state leadership. The party congress, the first in 36 years, was held amid great attention and elevated Kim to the post of party chairman. He declared that the country was a nuclear weapons state but would not use its arsenal unless first attacked. Kim can put his mark on the parliamentary meeting that may approve personnel changes announced at the last month's congress. "The 4th session of the 13th SPA (Supreme People's Assembly) will be convened in Pyongyang on June 29,” state-run KCNA news agency reported. North Korea has come under growing … [Read more...] about North Korea to convene assembly late June after rare party congress
NKorea parliament to meet a day after rocket test
North Korea has announced a parliament session just after its upcoming rocket launch in an apparent bid for maximum political mileage, as a US general said it may be planning a multiple missile test. Analysts said that apart from domestic political considerations, the move also shows Pyongyang is confident the launch -- which has raised regional tensions -- will succeed. "The first session of the 12th SPA (Supreme People's Assembly) will be convened in Pyongyang on April 9," the Korean Central News Agency reported. The communist state has previously announced it will launch a communications satellite sometime between April 4-8. The US and South Korea say this is a pretext to test-fire a long-range missile, in violation of a UN resolution passed after the North's 2006 missile and nuclear tests. In Washington, the commander of US forces in South Korea said North Korea may test-fire several missiles to coincide with its scheduled launch. General Walter Sharp said Pyongyang in July 2006 … [Read more...] about NKorea parliament to meet a day after rocket test
More deaths as Syria deploys troops, UN meeting urged
DAMASCUS (AFP) - More deaths were reported after Syria bolstered its troops in the flashpoint town of Daraa as a rights group appealed for UN intervention in a bloody crackdown it said has killed 400 people since mid-March. UN leader Ban Ki-moon and western nations expressed growing alarm at the deadly clampdown in Syria, but the UN Security Council made little headway in efforts to agree to condemn the violence. As the Daraa crackdown raged into a second day, Security Council nations discussed a statement proposed by four European powers who want to condemn deadly violence against protesters in Syria. But the United States said that for now it will limit its response to the violent crackdown on civilian protests in Syria to diplomacy and possible sanctions. Outlining the US approach to Syria on Tuesday, Jacob Sullivan, director for strategic policy, said Washington's "focus is... in the diplomatic and financial space at the moment." "At the moment, we're not actively considering … [Read more...] about More deaths as Syria deploys troops, UN meeting urged
ASEAN meetings end on high note
The Hanoitimes - The 43rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and the 17th ASEAN Regional Forum (AFF) wound up in Ha Noi yesterday, July 23, after five days of intense debate. Khiem said those attending the meeting could be proud of the significant progress made at this year's event and that they had all worked successfully towards building a stronger ASEAN community. Ministers supported the determination to expedite the effective implementation of the "ASEAN Community Roadmap" and desire to promote a "culture of compliance" with all ASEAN agreements, he said.During the meeting, ministers discussed a first draft of the "Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity", which will provide a framework for strengthening ASEAN co-operation and the building of an EU-like community."We will He commended the efforts of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to finalise a five-year "Work Plan". Ministers reaffirmed the role of the AICHR as an overarching institution for … [Read more...] about ASEAN meetings end on high note