东盟部长会议重点讨论朝韩、缅甸问题

Tensions on the Korean peninsular and Burma's planned elections are to dominate a meeting of South East Asian foreign ministers in Hanoi, Vietnam.

在越南首都河内举行的东南亚外交部长会议上将讨论朝鲜半岛的紧张局势和缅甸有计划的选举。

Ministers will also talk about how to manage the region's economic recovery.

The meeting, which has just got underway, initially brings together the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, or Asean（东南亚国家联盟） .

They will be joined later by ministers from the Asian region, the European Union and the United States.

In his opening remarks the host of this meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, highlighted peace and security in the region.

Asean, he said, should demonstrate its role as a leading force in promoting dialogue and cooperation.

He avoided specifying who might need Asean's guidance, but there are two dark clouds hovering over this gathering - the perennial（常年的，反复的） problem of Burma and rising tensions between North and South Korea.

'Visitors'

Asean has previously called for Burma to ensure that the elections it is planning later this year are free, fair and inclusive.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters that the regional grouping could consider sending people to observe the elections.

"Asean member states basically expressed the hope that the election process will be inclusive, democratic and transparent as they have said.

"And Indonesia itself saw the possibility of Asean, either collectively or individually, to also contribute to ensuring the credibility of the election.

"I use the term visitors. I deliberately avoid the term observer or monitors. But certainly it would be great to have parties other than the country itself being able to experience the election so we can make our own impressions," he said.

Although recently-enacted election laws in Burma seem to run counter to those principles, Asean is thought unlikely to censure its recalcitrant（反对的，顽强的） member, preferring instead to stick to its principles of constructive engagement and non-interference.

There may well, however, be condemnation of the sinking of a South Korean warship in March.

An international investigation said North Korea was responsible, though the United Nations earlier this month stopped short of apportioning blame.

South Korea is pushing hard for a stronger form of words from this regional forum.