As mandated by ASEAN Foreign Ministers, and at the invitation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, visited Yangon on 20-21 May 2008 to formally and personally deliver and follow up on the decisions made at the Special Meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Singapore on 19 May 2008.

Scholars from China and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered at a dialogue on Wednesday to discuss how to promote military modernization and regional security and mutual trust.

The U.N. envoy to Burma says countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have a significant role to play in helping the military-ruled nation on the path to democracy and national reconciliation.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is expressing concern over Burma's decision to exclude pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from future elections. The statement from ASEAN follows the completion of Burma's draft constitution. But the regional bloc still says it will not interfere in Burma's domestic affairs. Naomi Martig reports from VOA's Asia News Center in Hong Kong.

Ten Asian leaders have signed a treaty which promises to change the political and economic face of the region. The members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed off on changes designed to change the organisation's role radically.

ASEAN chair, the conglomerate of south East Asian countries outfit established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by five original members, Thailand, Indonesia,Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, later on joined by Brunei, Darussalam on 8 th Jan, 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Lao-PDR joined with Myanmar on 23 July 1997 and Colombia coming in the streams 30 April 1999, with view of living in peace, stability and prosperity with free trade in current scenario.

South-east Asian foreign ministers have agreed to new rules for the regional group ASEAN, committing members to promoting human rights and bolstering democracy.

South-east Asian countries will never suspend Burma from their 10-nation bloc despite its bloody crackdown on mass protests, Malaysia's foreign minister said after talks with a UN envoy.

The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expects to sign a free trade agreement with India by the middle of next year.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations propose strengthening an initiative to protect the region's currencies. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins has more from Manila where the top ASEAN diplomats are meeting with officials from key partner nations.

Asian foreign ministers on Tuesday endorsed North Korea's commitment to shut down its nuclear weapons program and praised moves toward setting up an East Asian trade bloc to help the region compete with groups like the European Union.

Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia are due to adopt a five-year work plan to strengthen the implementation of a treaty banning nuclear weapons in the region, a Philippine diplomat said.