Economic Revival, Climate Change to Top Agenda of ASEAN Summit 16

The 16th Summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN 16) will take place in Hanoi April 8-9 with a special focus on economic revival for sustainable development and climate change. ASEAN leaders are scheduled to approve joint declarations on the two issues, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dao Viet Trung told a press briefing Mar 30. Hanoi will also host preparatory meetings for ASEAN 16 slated between April 5-8, Trung said. The bloc’s leaders will mull over policies to join hands with the Group 20 (G20) in an effort to cope with globally economic and financial crisis, said Assistant to Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh. Answering reporters’ questions whether the East Sea issue will be among ASEAN agenda or not, Vinh reiterated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties on the South China Sea (DOC) would be a legal base for the bloc and China to settle the matter.