Saturday, September 18, 2004
Senior ASEAN officials meet in Manila (1:45 p.m.)
MANILA -- Senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting in the Philippine capital Saturday discussed a draft action plan for creating an "ASEAN socio-cultural community".
The second day of the two-day meeting, chaired by Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Sonia Brady, will focus on an ASEAN-China joint declaration, conference organizers said.
The gathering brings together officials of deputy foreign minister or undersecretary rank from ASEAN member states Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Details of the draft action plan discussed Saturday were not made public.
The plan is scheduled to be adopted at the ASEAN leaders summit in Vientiane in November, the foreign department said in a statement.
It encompasses managing the social impacts of economic integration, enhancing environmental sustainability and strengthening regional cohesion, the department added. (AFP)
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