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TMCNet: Cambodia urges postponement of next month's ASEAN summit in Thailand+

[November 28, 2008]

Cambodia urges postponement of next month's ASEAN summit in Thailand+

(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) PHNOM PENH, Nov. 28_(Kyodo) _ Cambodia on Friday urged that a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, scheduled to be held in mid-December in Thailand, be "postponed" due to political unrest in that country.

Hor Namhong, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, told reporters that postponement of the Dec. 14-17 summit in Chiang Mai "is necessary because of the current situation in Thailand in which there is no one is able to manage it."

Long-running anti-government protests in Thailand have led to the closure of its two main airports, sent its Cabinet into hiding and paralyzed its parliament, leaving fellow ASEAN members increasingly concerned as the summit date approaches.

Hor Namhong noted that on Wednesday, after a summit of leaders of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam held in Laos, Lao Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, in the name of the three countries' leaders, sent a letter to ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, asking him to consult with Thailand and other ASEAN member states on whether the summit schedule should be maintained or postponed.

While there had yet to be any "official response" from Thailand on the matter, Hor Namhong cited media reports that quoted Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat as saying his government would take its ASEAN partners' suggestions into consideration.

Sompong, stuck in Germany after Thailand's main international airport closed earlier in the week, reportedly said he would discuss the matter with Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, with his ASEAN counterparts and with Surin.

Earlier this week, Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo told reporters "a cloud of uncertainty" hangs over the ASEAN summit due to the unrest in Thailand, according to Channel News Asia.

"We are very troubled by it. We hope that all groups in Thailand will have the political will to compromise and find a way out for the country. The tourism industry is badly affected. I worry that the ASEAN summit will be affected," Yeo was quoted as saying.

The Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat issued a statement Thursday acknowledging that "queries have surfaced as to whether the 14th ASEAN Summit will be held as originally scheduled in mid-December in Chiang Mai, Thailand."

"The Secretary-General of ASEAN...is currently on his way to clarify this matter with Thailand, which currently holds the chairmanship of ASEAN. The ASEAN Secretariat would issue a statement once there is a definite clarification on this matter," it said.

Copyright ? 2008 Kyodo News International, Inc.

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