ASEAN SUMMIT BEGINS

Hanoi, Apr 8 (ANTARA) - The 16th ASEAN summit April 8 and 9 has been opened by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Hanoi Thursday afternoon.

The opening ceremony was attended by the heads of state of all the ASEAN member countries, with the exception of Thailand who had sent its deputy prime minister due to the unfavorable situation of his country.

The summit's agenda covers implementation of the ASEAN Charter, the 2009-2015 road map to the ASEAN Community, the ASEAN Connectivity, the climate change and other regional and international issues.

ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Camdodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

The opening ceremony was started with an address of the Vietnamese Prime Minister as ASEAN Chairman, followed by group photo and dance performances.

Earlier, before opening a meeting to discuss his visit to Hanoi to attend the ASEAN summit, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the three pillors of the ASEAN Community, namely the ASEAN political security community, the ASEAN economic community, and the the ASEAN social and cultural community, need to be realized at the same time.

"Indonesia believes that the three need to go in axact correspondence," he said in Hanoi.

The Indonesian delegation to the ASEAN summit includes Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Coordinating Minister for Policital and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Industry Minister MS Hidayat, and Minister, State Secretary Sudi Silalahi.

The President said when the regional association was set up in 1967, its aims included building a stable and secure region. And in its development, he said, the economy eventually became a leading agenda.

But, he added, "the establishment of the ASEAN Community really reminded us that all three pillars must be realized in full harmony."