ASEAN ministerial meeting closes in Laos
(VNA): The 38th ASEAN ministerial meeting closed on the afternoon of July 26 with the signing of an agreement on the establishment of an ASEAN development fund (ADF) and an ASEAN agreement on disaster management and emergency response.
The ASEAN ministers recognised the need to bridge the gap of development between ASEAN member countries and called on foreign nations and international organisations to help implement projects within the IAI framework.
They reviewed the group's co-operation with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea under the ASEAN+3 formula, pledging to promote this co-operation as part of the joint efforts to establish an East Asia community.
Regarding the first East Asia summit (EAS), they renewed their commitment to press ahead with the agreement reached in Sebu of the Philippines in April 2005. They welcomed the participation of ten ASEAN member countries, China, Japan, the ROK, India, Australia and New Zealand in the summit.
They applauded Mongolia's signing of the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation (TAC) in Vientiane as well as New Zealand's signing of documents to join the TAC and Australia's statement to sign the TAC.
The one-day meeting discussed the United Nations reform, the recent terrorist attacks in London and Egypt, the situation in Iraq and the Middle East. They welcomed the re-start of six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue and said ASEAN is willing to support and call on the ARF to take part in discussions on the issue.
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