Prince Mohamed attends AMM

The 44th Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM), held in Bali, Indonesia, began yesterday with the Plenary, Retreat and Concluding Plenary Sessions of the Ministerial Meeting with His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in attendance.

HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, along with other Asean ministers, paid a courtesy call on Indonesian President, Dr H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, prior to attending the opening ceremony of the 44th AMM, which took place at the Bali International Convention Centre and officiated by the Indonesian President.

HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah was accompanied by Her Royal Highness Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna and Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Hj Abdul Aziz.

HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah and HRH Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Zariah last night joined other Asean Foreign Ministers and the Foreign Ministers of Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste and their spouses for a dinner hosted by the Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr R M Marty M Natalegawa and spouse at a leading resort in Bali.

Their Royal Highnesses were accompanied by HRH Princess Hajah Masna and YAM Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Hj Abdul Aziz.

Meanwhile, dpa reported that Southeast Asian countries agreed Tuesday on a draft set of guidelines governing the conduct of parties in the disputed South China Sea, Indonesia's foreign minister said.

Tensions have been rising in the oil- and gas-rich South China Sea in recent weeks after Vietnam and the Philippines accused China of incursions into sensitive areas and harassment of ships.

Beijing has alleged that Vietnamese boats had entered its waters illegally and endangered Chinese fishermen.

"There's been a consensus on draft guidelines and they are ready to be presented to China," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said after a meeting of foreign ministers from Asean.

Senior officials from Asean and China were scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss the proposal, Natalegawa said. The Asean foreign ministers are to meet their Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Thursday. - Borneo Bulletin (20th July 2011)


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