Cambodian PM leaves for 23rd ASEAN Summit

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen left here Tuesday to attend the 23rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Brunei from October 9-10.

Hun Sen was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol, Finance Minister Aun Porn Moniroth, Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron, and other members of the Cambodian government, Sry Thamarong, minister attached to Prime Minister Hun Sen, told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport before the departure.

In Brunei, the premier will attend the 23rd ASEAN Summit, the 16th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, the 8th East Asia Summit, and meetings with Chinese, Indian, Japanese, S.Korean, US leaders and UN officials, he said.

"In forthcoming summits, ASEAN leaders will take stock of the progress toward their common goal of turning ASEAN into a community by 2015," he said, adding "the leaders will also discuss the development of a post-2015 vision."

In addition, they will exchange views on regional and international issues, particularly the issues on the South China Sea, the Korean peninsula, the concern over chemical weapon use in Syria, and so on.  

On the sidelines of the summits, Hun Sen will hold talks with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, he added.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.