ASEAN lifts moratorium for security forum

ASEAN lifts moratorium for security forum

CAMBODIA: ASEAN has lifted a longstanding moratorium on
membership to the Asia-Pacific region's top security forum and
will push for Pakistan's inclusion, a minister said on Monday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), comprising
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, is the prime mover
of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

The ARF, formed a decade ago with a mandate to help maintain
regional peace and stability, also comprises Australia, Canada,
China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand,
South Korea, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the United
States.

The proposal to include Pakistan will be formally forwarded
for consideration to foreign ministers of the 23 ARF members, who
will meet in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, officials said. --AFP