Hanoi hopes for 10-member ASEAN

Hanoi hopes for 10-member ASEAN

HANOI (Reuters): Vietnam said yesterday it hoped Cambodia would be soon able to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to boost economic development and stability in Southeast Asia.

The Foreign Ministry said Vietnam was following events in Cambodia but declined to comment on whether the return of ousted premier Prince Norodom Ranariddh and elections in July would hasten Cambodia's admission to ASEAN.

"Vietnam's consistent opinion is to see soon an ASEAN comprising 10 Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, because this is beneficial for the stability, cooperation and development of the ... region," a spokeswoman said by telephone.

"Vietnam follows with attention the evolution of the current situation in Cambodia," she said, reading a prepared statement.

ASEAN put Cambodia's proposed membership on hold after Second Prime Minister Hun Sen deposed Ranariddh in a coup last July.