ASEAN leaders meet major dialog partners

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Phnom Penh | World | Mon, November 19 2012, 2:41 PM

Klipping The Jakarta Post

A- A A+

Leaders of the ASEAN states are meeting with their major dialog partners on the second day of the 21st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Peace Palace on Monday.

The series of summits start with an ASEAN-Japan Summit when the 10 leaders will discuss various issues with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda followed by a similar summit with South Korea. The morning session ends with the ASEAN+3 Commemorative Summit on the 15th anniversary of ASEAN+3 Cooperation. In addition to Japan and South Korea, China completes the ASEAN+3 configuration.

After lunch, there will be the ASEAN-India Summit, followed by yet another meeting with China which will be led by outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao. At the China affair ASEAN leaders intend to present the code of conduct on the South China Sea. Four members, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam are claimants to pars of the sea which China considers its sovereign territory.

Later in afternoon, leaders will sign three documents: an agreement on movement of citizens; an amendment on economic cooperation between ASEAN and China and a protocol on trade, sanitary and phytosanitary issues, again part of Chinese cooperation.

After the signing ceremony, there will be a meeting with US President Barack Obama before a gala dinner hosted by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.