Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh ( right ) links hands for a group photo
with Asean member leaders and US President Barack Obama ( fifth left )
at the opening ceremony of the Asean-US Leaders Meeting in Singapore yesterday

Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh and his delegation yesterday attended the First Asean-US Leaders Meeting in Singapore.

The meeting follows the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting held from November 14-15, also in Singapore.

At the meeting, US President Barack Obama met with Asean leaders to promote the strengthening of ties between the US and Asean.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Mr Obama and his colleagues from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that he wanted to welcome everyone to the first Asean-US Leaders Meeting, according to The Straits Times.

Before the opening of the talks, all 10 Asean leaders and Mr Obama stood side by side on stage, linking their arms in a symbol of unity.

Topics discussed by Asean and US representatives included the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, disaster management, A/H1N1 flu influenza prevention, anti-terrorism, and ways to tackle current global issues, such as the financial crisis and climate change.

The meeting was also a sign of the renewed interest of the Obama administration in engaging Asean and discussing cooperation between the two sides in the fields of politi cs, security, economics and development, as well as addressing the narrowing of the development gap between Asean members to facilitate the establishment of an Asean Community by 2015.