The forthcoming 21 st ASEAN Summit will promote the ASEAN integration process and strengthen the bloc's central role in the region’s social architecture and economy, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has said.
On his opening speech at the opening of an ASEAN Symposium in Phnom Penh on October 30, the PM said that ASEAN has made remarkable achievements since its establishment in 1967.
He added that ASEAN is now known not only as a region of
peace, stability and strong growth, but also a closely-integrated political and
economic entity. 
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen
Hun Sen also highlighted the important role played by the association in Asia and stressed that ASEAN is an indispensable strategic partner of a number of countries and organisations in the world.
According to Hun Sen, ASEAN has made every effort in implementing the action plans identified in the three pillars of ASEAN Community, including political-security community, economic community, and socio- cultural community.
The Cambodian leader said his country, as the ASEAN chair in 2012, would like to encourage the group’s members and development partners to further strengthen cooperation, towards the establishment of an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015.
At the upcoming ASEAN Summit, for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN leaders will discuss important issues such as small-and medium-sized enterprises development, energy security, environment, trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity and sustainable development, he added.
Cambodia will host the 21 st ASEAN Summit and related summits from November 15-20, according to the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Apart from the heads of state and government of ASEAN member nations, US President Barack Obama, Republic of Korea President Lee Myung-bak, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will also attend the events.
VNA
