ASEAN heads of state/government have been making preparations for the summit that was officially opened by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono today.
Indonesia has prepared three main agenda for the ASEAN summit this time.
The first is to ensure and consolidate the achievements of ASEAN Community 2015, while the second is to maintain a secure and stable region for the countries in ASEAN to go ahead with their development, and the third is to make ASEAN play an active role in solving global issues.
Before the start of the ASEAN summit, a series of ASEAN senior officials meetings have been conducted to discuss various issues facing the region.
The ASEAN senior officials meeting also discussed the South China Sea dispute, efforts in environmental protection of migrant workers in ASEAN countries, preparing the first East Asia Summit next November in Indonesia, and Timor Leste`s application for ASEAN membership.
But after chairing the ASEAN Political and Security Council meeting on Friday, Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said border issues in the region were not specifically discussed.
Djoko said border problems were not discussed by foreign ministers of the countries concerned.
He said the fifth meeting of the council ahead of the 18th ASEAN Summit on May 7-8 only discussed big issues that would later be discussed in detail and technically by the ministers concerned.
"They (border problems) are not specifically discussed at the security council forum which is very strategic, macro and big covering all ASEAN member countries. There is a special forum for discussing border disputes such as a special meeting of three ministers on the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute," he said.
The ASEAN Security and Political Council meeting specially discussed cooperation within the security and political pillars such as democracy, maritime security, anti-terrorism and nuclear-free zone, he said.(*)
O001/H-NG
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
