Asia-Pacific News
US president plans ASEAN summit on sidelines of UN assembly
Sep 2, 2010, 12:38 GMT
Bangkok - US President Barack Obama has invited the leaders of South-East Asia to a summit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, reports said Thursday.
Surin Pitsuwan, secretary general of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), told The Nation online news service that Obama had set September 24 for the meeting at a 'special' venue in New York.
'The US recognizes the big shift from the West to the East after the global financial crisis,' Surin said. 'So far, most of the ASEAN leaders are positive' about the suggested meeting, Surin said.
He said the summit, which will last two hours, demonstrated the 'growing momentum' of US-ASEAN relations.
When Obama took power, he vowed to 're-engage' with South-East Asia, which has been overshadowed by US interest in China and India over the past decade.
ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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