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