Bangkok asks to delay EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting
Bangkok asks to delay EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting
BANGKOK (AFP): A landmark ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting due to be held next month in Laos may have to be postponed because of the poor level of EU representation indicated so far, the Thai foreign ministry said on Friday.
The meeting, to be held in the Lao capital Vientaine on December 11-12, is to be the first since relations between the two blocs cooled over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations's decision to admit Myanmar as a member in 1997.
"This is a ministerial meeting, but if too many ministers are not able to come and instead send their deputies or ambassadors, then it is no longer a ministerial meeting," a senior official said.
So far, French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine has confirmed he will be a no-show and will instead send his deputy Charles Josselin who is in charge of overseas cooperation.
France holds the rotating EU presidency and Vedrine's presence is required at a crucial EU summit in Nice which coincides with the Vientiane meeting. It is expected the summit will keep other ministers away.
The Bangkok Post said on Thursday that Britain and Denmark -- among Europe's staunchest opponents of the Myanmar regime -- were also not expected to send their foreign ministers.
"We do not yet know how many minister from the EU's 15 nations can or cannot attend and we hope to gain more information next week," the official added, adding it would consult with Laos when all the responses were in.
"If things are not ready we will have to consider whether or not to go ahead with the meeting."
As ASEAN coordinator last year, Thailand was charged with restoring ministerial-level relations with the EU. The blocs last met at that level in Singapore three years ago.
The Nation newspaper said Thailand was upset that Laos and Malaysia were pushing for a postponement over the European no- shows.
"We have worked really hard to have this bloc-to-bloc meeting," it quoted an official as saying. "This is very insulting."