Cambodia to attend ASEAN meeting

Cambodia to attend ASEAN meeting

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Cambodia has taken preliminary steps to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and will attend an upcoming meeting of the group as an observer, a top Malaysian official said yesterday.

The Cambodian National Assembly had ratified the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation on July 2, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told reporters after talks with visiting Cambodian Second Premier Hun Sen.

"The move taken by Cambodia to ratify the treaty is a first step to being a member of ASEAN," Abdullah said. The treaty provides for mutual respect of national sovereignty and territorial integrity and includes a pledge to solve disputes peacefully.

He said Cambodia would attend the ASEAN meeting in Brunei later this month.