ASEAN ASKS FOR PARTICIPATION IN G-20 SUMMITS

Hanoi, April 9 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said ASEAN leaders hoped for the participation of the regional grouping's chairman in the summits of G-20, and Indonesia already as a G-20 member, will try to see that it would be realized.

"In a foreign ministerial meeting, which was also raised to leadership level (in ASEAN summit), the current ASEAN chairman (Vietnam) and some other members of the regional grouping, are trying to have the ASEAN chairman attend G-20 summits," the President said when briefing Indonesian newsmen on the outcome of the ASEAN summit in Hanoi Friday.

The ASEAN chairmanship is assumed by turn. ASEAN has 10 member countries.

The Head of State also said that this year G-20 will meet twice, namely in Canada in June, and in South Korea in October or November.

Indonesia, the President said, welcomed and supported efforts to have the ASEAN chairman to always take part in G-20 summits.

The President said that Indonesia both directly or otherwise, has suggested G-20 to always have the ASEAN chairman take part in its summits.

"Indonesia would even write a letter to the host of this year's summit in Canada or South Korea, to have the ASEAN chairman take part," the President said.

He added that the current ASEAN summit will also be used to explain why Indonesia was the only ASEAN member country to take part in G-20 summits.

"I will ask my colleagues not misunderstand this," he said.

The President has explained that G-20 was formed following the Asian crisis in 1998, but merely at ministerial level.

Later in 2008 it became a forum of state leaders. And then developed further into G-8 plus to which the Indonesian head of state was also invited, so that when it developed further into G-20, Indonesia remained a member.

At the G-20 meeting, the President said he received no mandate and therefore did not represent ASEAN.

ASEAN, he added, needs to be represented by the ASEAN chairman.