ASEAN identifies two areas for sustainable growth

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, APRIL 5. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday identified ``the sustainable development of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region and the East Asian Seas'' as an ``important'' goal for the association to ``pursue.'' The ASEAN zeroed in on these two areas for priority attention at the its one-day ministerial meeting on environmental issues that was held at Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei.

While the development of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region would benefit the Indo-China States in particular within the ASEAN, the focus on the East Asian seas would be of prime concern to the littoral States of the South China Sea.

The meeting agreed on the ``need to intensify (the association's) collaboration'' with the United Nations' specialised agencies in order to foster the development of the Mekong region and the East Asia seas, according to a joint statement issued by the Environment Ministers and representatives of the ASEAN member- States.

The meeting discussed the latest trends in regard to haze pollution across several ASEAN States and evinced interest in the steps being taken by Indonesia, a key member of the association, to curb the haze. The implementation of the Regional Haze Action Plan was also reviewed.

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Section  : International
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