ASEAN to hold informal meeting in December '96

ASEAN to hold informal meeting in December '96

BANGKOK (JP): The leaders of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to hold an informal Summit meeting
in Indonesia next year to help keep pace with rapid regional and
global developments.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono told journalists here
yesterday that the leaders had asked Indonesia to hold next
year's ASEAN informal meeting.

The minister said President Soeharto had chosen, for the time
being, Bogor, West Java, as the venue for the informal Summit,
which will be held in the first week of December.

Moerdiono explained that the seven ASEAN heads of states
reached the agreement at the banquet dinner hosted by Thai Prime
Minister Banharn Silpa-Archa on Wednesday night.

President Soeharto and several cabinet ministers are
currently attending the two-day ASEAN Summit which began here
yesterday.

Also attending ASEAN's fifth Summit is Brunei's Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad,
Philippine President Fidel Ramos, Singaporean Prime Minister Goh
Chok Tong, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet.

"Looking at the dynamism of the region and the world, all
leaders agreed that a three year gap between summits is too long.
They see the necessity to meet more often and it is was agreed to
have an informal meeting annually," Moerdiono said.

He added that Soeharto also suggested Bogor Palace as the site
of the informal summit.

Located about 60-kilometers south of Jakarta, Bogor Palace
was the venue of last year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) summit which was attended by 18 heads of government.

Singapore's Goh Chok Tong also referred to benefits of the
informal summit and suggested that Japan and Korea to be invited.

"We must never become a closed inward-looking regional bloc,"
he said.

Earlier yesterday morning, President Soeharto held a bilateral
meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet to discuss a
host of topics of mutual concern.

During yesterday's opening address at the Summit, Soeharto
stressed the interdependent nature of regional stability.

"We are aware that the peace that we have built in our region
cannot be secure without peace and stability in the rest of the
world," he said.

Soeharto thus underlined the importance of good communication
and working relationships with other regional organizations while
expressing his full support for next year's Asia-Europe Summit
Meeting which will convene leaders from both continents.
(rid/mds)