JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has offered to step in to host some Southeast Asian ministerial meetings due to be held next month in Thailand because of the political crisis in its neighbour, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Monday.
Thailand has said a final decision on the Dec. 13-17 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asian meetings is due on Tuesday, a week after anti-government protesters first blockaded Bangkok's international airport.
"I will propose at the cabinet meeting tomorrow to postpone the summit to March as we can't open our airport for leaders' planes to land yet," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat told reporters on Monday.
Indonesia and ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan were offering to hold the foreign ministers' meeting of the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc and three East Asian dialogue partners in the ASEAN Secretariat offices in Jakarta, Yudhoyono said.
A finance ministers meeting could be held in Bali, he added.
"Those events are important to officially introduce the ASEAN Charter and formulate joint action to overcome the global financial crisis," Yudhoyono told a news conference.
"I myself hope that the summit will be in Thailand, but if in the near future it is not possible, then the official introduction of the ASEAN Charter would be good to be done," he added, adding that it was also important to discuss a pool of currency swap lines called the Chiang Mai Initiative.
There are concerns that delays could complicate bringing the ASEAN Charter, which aims to set up a political, economic and social bloc of half a billion people, into force in mid December.
ASEAN comprises the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
The group's dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea are also due to attend the meetings next month.
Surin said on Sunday Thailand was "running short" of time as it prepared to host the summit next month while tackling a major political crisis.
He stopped short of urging Bangkok to postpone it, but said a delay would allow the group to "prepare better" for the summit
The occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport and the city's older domestic terminal by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement have dramatically escalated Thailand's three-year old political crisis.
The venue for the ASEAN summit was moved to the northern city of Chiang Mai, far away from the PAD's Bangkok base, well before this week's protests.
But the chaos in Bangkok has put pressure on ASEAN to seek a postponement.
Thailand has said a final decision on the Dec. 13-17 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asian meetings is due on Tuesday, a week after anti-government protesters first blockaded Bangkok's international airport.
"I will propose at the cabinet meeting tomorrow to postpone the summit to March as we can't open our airport for leaders' planes to land yet," Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat told reporters on Monday.
Indonesia and ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan were offering to hold the foreign ministers' meeting of the 10-member Southeast Asian bloc and three East Asian dialogue partners in the ASEAN Secretariat offices in Jakarta, Yudhoyono said.
A finance ministers meeting could be held in Bali, he added.
"Those events are important to officially introduce the ASEAN Charter and formulate joint action to overcome the global financial crisis," Yudhoyono told a news conference.
"I myself hope that the summit will be in Thailand, but if in the near future it is not possible, then the official introduction of the ASEAN Charter would be good to be done," he added, adding that it was also important to discuss a pool of currency swap lines called the Chiang Mai Initiative.
There are concerns that delays could complicate bringing the ASEAN Charter, which aims to set up a political, economic and social bloc of half a billion people, into force in mid December.
ASEAN comprises the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
The group's dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea are also due to attend the meetings next month.
Surin said on Sunday Thailand was "running short" of time as it prepared to host the summit next month while tackling a major political crisis.
He stopped short of urging Bangkok to postpone it, but said a delay would allow the group to "prepare better" for the summit
The occupation of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport and the city's older domestic terminal by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement have dramatically escalated Thailand's three-year old political crisis.
The venue for the ASEAN summit was moved to the northern city of Chiang Mai, far away from the PAD's Bangkok base, well before this week's protests.
But the chaos in Bangkok has put pressure on ASEAN to seek a postponement.
5 comments:
This is a kick in the face of thailand. They have lost their arrogance.
FUCK THAILAND.............. LETS HOST ASEAN AT INDO SO WE CAN GO SURF TO CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.............SURFS SURFS UP THAI BITCHEs.........FROM KHMER FROM HAWAII
ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan..................
YOUR FIERD!!!! FAG .........
GO HOME AND BEAT IT BITCH.....YOU KNOW YOUR COUNTRY LOST IT ALREADY.........SO NEVER MIND AND STOP STALLING FAG.........
We should remember Hun Sen's comment on the Asean meeting last month. He was right. What we see now is the uncertainty of this meeting. Whether to delay or give to Signapor or VietNam to chair this such meeting. It is shame for Sien government and people.
Right!
We're proud to be born Khmer. I can't imagine how great my shame would have been if I were a Thai. I probably would have worn scarf to cover my face whenever I go outdoors, although I were not an Islam nor a lady.
Raja
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