ASEAN SUMMITS

INTENSE BUT FRUITFUL ASEAN SUMMIT

Asean summits have always had a punishing schedule for those participating in the meetings

Mergawati Zulfakar (The Star/Asia News Network)

AsiaOne, November 22, 2012

PHNOM PENH - As he got up after his press conference with the Malaysian media before departing home from Phnom Penh, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak candidly exclaimed: "Wah! Exhausted! If anyone thinks that this is a joy ride, you better tell the people at home.

"Pagi sampai malam tiga hari berturut turut, tak berhenti langsung! (From morning to night for three days in a row. Non-stop)".

He quipped, still looking dapper despite going through another long day of meetings with Asean and world leaders, including from China, India, the United States and Japan.

Asean summits have always had a punishing schedule for those participating in the meetings.

Meetings always overrun the scheduled time, causing a pyramid effect on other meetings.

But as a seasoned Asean summit attendee from Malaysia puts it, "Asean meetings will always be important as the cornerstone of a country's foreign policy".

Asean meetings can be slow affairs but can get fairly "exciting" when there is a crisis brewing be it political or foreign affairs.

It was no different at this 21st Asean Summit and Related Summits at the Cambodian capital this week where overlapping territorial claims among several of the participating countries and the attacks by Israel against the Palestinians grabbed the headlines.

(...) [article here]