Cambodian FM to attend ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Laos

Phnom Penh [Cambodia], January 26: Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea will take part in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Luang Prabang, Laos on Jan. 28-29, said a foreign ministry's press statement on Thursday.
Sok Chenda Sophea's attendance will be made at the invitation of his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith, the statement said.
Under the theme of "ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience", the retreat will discuss priorities and key deliverables under the Lao chairmanship of ASEAN this year.
"Ministers will also discuss follow-ups to the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta last year and ways forward for ASEAN Community building, including progress in developing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045," the statement said.
"In addition, ministers will exchange views on ASEAN's external relations as well as regional and international issues of common interest and concern," it added.
On the sidelines of the retreat, the Cambodian top diplomat will hold bilateral talks with some of his counterparts to expand mutually beneficial cooperation under bilateral and multilateral frameworks, the statement said.
ASEAN is an acronym for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Source: Xinhua