ASEAN try to narrow development gap

ASEAN try to narrow development gap

BANGKOK (Reuters): Southeast Asian foreign ministers will
agree to try to narrow the development gap between their
countries at their annual meeting in Hanoi later this month,
Thailand said on Wednesday.

Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Bangkok also planned to
propose the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) work more closely with neighbors China, Japan and South
Korea to fight the illegal drugs trade.

The 34th annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting from July 23-24 will
be followed by a meeting of the security-focused ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF).

Topics on the ARF agenda, which involves ASEAN's dialogue
partners including the United States and China, include tension
on the Korean peninsula and international crime.

Foreign ministers from all 10 ASEAN member nations are due to
attend the Hanoi meeting. The theme this year is: "ASEAN: United,
Stable, Integrated and Outward Looking."