Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo will lead the Singapore delegation to the 40th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the annual Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) and the 14th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Manila from 29 July - 3 August 2007. Singapore will take over the Chairmanship of ASEAN from the Philippines on 2 August 2007.
During the AMM, the Ministers will discuss the draft ASEAN Charter, which is expected to be signed in Singapore at the end of the year. The Ministers will also recommend the appointment of a new Secretary-General of ASEAN, as current Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong completes his five-year term at the end of the year. Based on alphabetical rotation, it is Thailand's turn to nominate the new Secretary-General.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet with their respective ASEAN Dialogue Partnership counterparts from Australia, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, Russia and the United States1 to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation. With Australia, they will sign a Joint Declaration on ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Partnership.
To give greater momentum to regional community building efforts, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet separately with their counterparts of the ASEAN+3, as well as the East Asia Summit countries.2 The ARF Ministers will also exchange views on developments in the region, and discuss ways to move the ARF into practical areas of cooperation and preventive diplomacy.
Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines, will receive the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN, the Dialogue Partners and ARF, and the ASEAN Secretary-General for a courtesy call and host a dinner.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
28 JULY 2007
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1 The ASEAN Foreign Ministers have met their counterparts of the other four Dialogue Partners of China, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea during the ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, in January 2007.
2The ASEAN+3 comprises the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan and Republic of Korea. The East Asia Summit comprises the 10 ASEAN countries and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea