NAJIB TO LEAD M'SIAN DELEGATION TO PATTAYA ASEAN SUMMIT

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak will lead the
Malaysian delegation to the three-day 14th Asean Summit and Related Summits in
Pattaya, Thailand, beginning Friday.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said Najib would be accompanied
by his wife, Rosmah Mansor.

The theme for the Asean Related Summits is "Acting Together to Cope with
Global Challenges".

The statement said the Related Summits were seen as timely and marked an
important milestone in relations between Asean and its dialogue partners,
following the entry into force of the Asean Charter on Dec 15 last year, besides
providing the opportunity to discuss current regional and international issues
of mutual concern, review dialogue relations and set future direction.

At the Asean Related Summits, the Asean leaders will have their annual
dialogue with leaders from Asean's dialogue partners -- China, India, Japan and
South Korea.

Besides these Asean Plus 1 summits, the Asean Plus 3 (China, Japan and South
Korea) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), involving also Australia, China, India,
Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, will also be held.

The statement said the leaders would adopt/issue the:

i. Statement on Asean Plus 3 Cooperation on Food Security and Bio-Energy
Development;

ii. Statement on East Asia Summit (EAS) Disaster Management;

iii. Joint Press Statement by the Fourth East Asia Summit on Global Economic
and Financial Crisis; and

iv. Joint Press Statement on Asean Plus 3 Cooperation in Response to Global
Economic and Financial Crisis.

The statement also said that on the sidelines of the summits, Najib is
scheduled to have bilateral meetings with his counterparts and leaders from
Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore,
South Korea and Thailand.

It said the First Asean Political-Security Community Council (APSC) Meeting
on Friday was in line with the decision of the Asean leaders for the three Asean
community councils to begin their work immediately to ensure the timely and
effective implementation of the Asean Charter.

The meeting will discuss issues related to the implementation of the APSC
Blueprint as well as developments in the various sectoral bodies under the
council, it added.

At the Pattaya summit, the Asean foreign ministers will also sign the
Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the Asean-China Centre.

The centre, to be located in Beijing, is to promote trade, investment and
tourism between Asean and China as well as to enhance awareness of Asean in
China and people-to-people contact through cultural exchanges, the statement
said.

-- BERNAMA