ASEAN summit to formally approve Russia, US affiliation to EAC

10:10, 24 July 2010

HANOI. July 24. KAZINFORM A formal decision on Russian and U.S. affiliation to the East Asian Community (EAC) will be made at the 17th ASEAN summit in Hanoi in October, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem said on Friday; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

He made the statement after the 43rd ASEAN foreign ministerial conference and the 17th meeting of the ASEAN Regional Security Forum.

"ASEAN welcomes the interest of Russia and the United States in the East Asian Community. A formal approval may be granted at the 17th summit of the association," he said.

The affiliation of both countries to the East Asian Community will meet the ASEAN wish for building up its role in the developing Asia, he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who took part in the ministerial conferences, said that the ASEAN decision to involve Russia in East Asian summits was founded. "We welcome this initiative," he said. "We think that Russia simply must take part in East Asian summits."

The East Asian Community had its first summit in Malaysia in 2005. The community was founded by 16 states - ten ASEAN members, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Austria and New Zealand. The forum aims to promote peace, stability and economic development of East Asia; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.

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