ID :
48724
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 16:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/48724
The shortlink copeid
PHUKET TO HOST ASEAN+3, ASEAN+6 IN PHUKET
BY D. ARUL RAJOO
BANGKOK, March 3 (Bernama) -- The southern resort island of Phuket will host
the delayed Asean+3 and +6 meetings from 10 to 12 April, Thai Prime Minister
Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Tuesday.
He said Phuket was chosen as it has an international airport and other
facilities to hold the meeting that involves 16 countries.
"The Cabinet has agreed to choose Phuket as the host for the Asean+3 and
Asean+6 meetings. It will be more convenient for the leaders and other delegates
to go there," he said after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting here.
Asked if the meeting would be held at the Laguna Phuket which has six hotels
under its wing and recently hosted the Special Asean Finance Ministers Meeting,
Abhisit said the decision on the meeting venue would be made later.
He also said that all the participating countries have confirmed their
presence at the meeting which is expected to discuss the global economic crisis.
The +3 members are China, Japan and South Korea, while the +6 are the +3 nations
plus Australia, India and New Zealand.
Immediately after the end of the 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin two days ago,
there had been various speculation on the venue for the Asean+3 and Asean+6
Summits, with Koh Samui, Phuket and even Hua Hin being touted as the possible
host.
Bangkok was originally supposed to hold the 14th Summit and related meetings
with the dialogue partners last December but months of anti-government street
protests here forced it to be shifted to Chiang Mai.
But the collapse of the Somchai Wongsawat's government and the airport
closure by anti-government supporters again forced the event to be postponed.
Abhisit, who came into power in mid-December, then picked Hua Hin to avoid
confrontation with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's supporters, but
the +3 and +6 meetings were not included as Chinese leaders were busy with their
domestic programmes.
The Hua Hin meeting went on smoothly without any major protest with talks on
current financial crisis, Asean Economic Community and the proposed human rights
body, but the Government is still wary of holding the coming Summit in the
capital due to the fear that the red shirt supporters of Thaksin could distrupt
the event.
Under the newly-enforced Asean Charter, the grouping must hold two Summits
annually, and the 15th Summit is expected to be held in October.
-- BERNAMA
BANGKOK, March 3 (Bernama) -- The southern resort island of Phuket will host
the delayed Asean+3 and +6 meetings from 10 to 12 April, Thai Prime Minister
Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Tuesday.
He said Phuket was chosen as it has an international airport and other
facilities to hold the meeting that involves 16 countries.
"The Cabinet has agreed to choose Phuket as the host for the Asean+3 and
Asean+6 meetings. It will be more convenient for the leaders and other delegates
to go there," he said after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting here.
Asked if the meeting would be held at the Laguna Phuket which has six hotels
under its wing and recently hosted the Special Asean Finance Ministers Meeting,
Abhisit said the decision on the meeting venue would be made later.
He also said that all the participating countries have confirmed their
presence at the meeting which is expected to discuss the global economic crisis.
The +3 members are China, Japan and South Korea, while the +6 are the +3 nations
plus Australia, India and New Zealand.
Immediately after the end of the 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin two days ago,
there had been various speculation on the venue for the Asean+3 and Asean+6
Summits, with Koh Samui, Phuket and even Hua Hin being touted as the possible
host.
Bangkok was originally supposed to hold the 14th Summit and related meetings
with the dialogue partners last December but months of anti-government street
protests here forced it to be shifted to Chiang Mai.
But the collapse of the Somchai Wongsawat's government and the airport
closure by anti-government supporters again forced the event to be postponed.
Abhisit, who came into power in mid-December, then picked Hua Hin to avoid
confrontation with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's supporters, but
the +3 and +6 meetings were not included as Chinese leaders were busy with their
domestic programmes.
The Hua Hin meeting went on smoothly without any major protest with talks on
current financial crisis, Asean Economic Community and the proposed human rights
body, but the Government is still wary of holding the coming Summit in the
capital due to the fear that the red shirt supporters of Thaksin could distrupt
the event.
Under the newly-enforced Asean Charter, the grouping must hold two Summits
annually, and the 15th Summit is expected to be held in October.
-- BERNAMA
