Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Southeast Asian counterparts are attending regional meetings in Banda Seri Begawan, Brunei scheduled on April 10-11. These meetings are considered preparations for the 22nd ASEAN Summit later this month. At these meetings, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), Politico-Security Council Meeting (APSC), and Coordination Council Meeting, the ministers will discuss regional and international issues of common interest. Among their agenda are the ASEAN Community’s development progress, the association’s external relations, and issues of strategic importance relating to peace, security and cooperation in the region, including ensuring peace, stability, maritime safety and security in the East Sea and the stepping up of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Earlier from April 7 to 9, a number of other meetings were also held, including a preparatory meeting of senior officials responsible for the economy, politics-security and culture-society and the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN comprises 10 members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.