11th ASEAN Summit opens in Kuala Lumpur
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-12 09:00

The 11th ASEAN Summit opened here Monday amid immense challenges to the grouping ranging from regional economic integration, security threats, disease outbreaks, environmental concerns and high oil prices.

A major feature of the summit will be the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN Charter, as the document will give the grouping a legal standing and provide the ASEAN Secretary-General and the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta more clout in decision-making.

The document is likely to stress ASEAN's adherence to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states, and the need to uphold non-discrimination of any of the ASEAN countries in the group's external relations.

The charter will point towards the 10-member grouping continuing to prefer non-aggression and exclusive reliance on peaceful means to settle differences or disputes.

The official theme of the 11th ASEAN Summit is "One Vision, One Identity, One Community".

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.