Asian Summit to tackle economic crisis

THAILAND: Asian leaders meet here this weekend to discuss ways to deepen economic ties further in order to sustain the region’s rebound from the recent global downturn, diplomats and analysts said.

With parts of the region still reeling from natural disasters, the leaders are also expected to grapple with ways to improve rescue capabilities and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, they said.

The annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit and related meetings with key regional partners will kick off Friday at this elite beach resort in Thailand amid tight security.

The ASEAN summit involving Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will be followed by talks with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. Hua Hin,Thursday, AFP