Informal talks likely after ceremony

Informal talks likely after ceremony

HANOI (AP): Southeast Asian foreign ministers may hold unofficial talks after they admit Cambodia into their regional grouping on April 30, a Vietnamese official said on Wednesday.

Vietnam is hosting the ceremony during which its neighbor will become the 10th and final member of the 32-year-old Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Vice Foreign Minister Nguyen Tam Chien called the event a "very important milestone" in ASEAN's development which "will usher in a new stage" toward the group's goal of building a region of peace and prosperity.

The foreign ministers of ASEAN's current members will sign a document admitting Cambodia, whose foreign minister will sign a commitment to follow ASEAN protocols and treaties. The Cambodian flag then will be raised. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam will host a reception afterward at which the informal talks could take place.