Consensus needed for ASEAN entry

Consensus needed for ASEAN entry

HANOI (Reuters): Cambodia's admission into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will depend on consensus among the grouping, Vietnam said on Thursday.

"The ASEAN summit will take place in Hanoi and we personally wish that event (Cambodia's admission) will take place in Hanoi," Vice Foreign Minister Vu Khoan told a news conference. "However, that process will take place based on consensus within ASEAN."

Khoan said ASEAN leaders at this week's APEC conference in Malaysia had agreed to monitor the formation of a government in Cambodia and make a decision on the country's entry into the regional grouping at an appropriate time.

Cambodia said on Monday it was ready to join ASEAN and hoped to gain entry at the summit in Hanoi, which takes place from Dec. 15-16. ASEAN has made the formation of a new government a condition for Cambodia's entry.