ASEAN ASKS CHINA, JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA TO HELP ESTABLISH INFO NETWORK

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 (Bernama) -- Asean today urged three of its dialogue partners to continue to share their expertise and experience and extend cooperation towards establishing an interconnected information network.

The call to China, Japan and South Korea was made by Information, Communications and Culture Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Kamaruddin Siaraf who chaired a meeting of Asean senior officials responsible for information with senior officials from the three countries, dubbed SOMRI+3, here.

The Asean Plus Three cooperation had broadened and deepened substantially in many areas ever since the process began in 1997, he said at the meeting, pointing out that good has been in socio-cultural cooperation with several activities in areas such as information, the environment, culture and arts, and education.

Kamaruddin said a draft was developed in 2009 of the Work Plan on Enhancing Asean+3 Cooperation through Information and Media (2010-2015) which includes activities of cooperation such as promotion of capacity building, promotion of media cooperation and media networking.

"In this regard, I would like to request all my SOMRI colleagues to come forward to initiate the remaining activities that have not been taken up.

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SOMRI-PLUS THREE 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

"I believe that it is everyone''s interest to ensure that the projects to be implemented will be of mutual benefit," he said, adding that the timeline for the draft work plan has been rescheduled to 2012-2017.

The SOMRI and related meetings are in preparation for tomorrow''s 11th Conference of Asean Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) to be held here.

The three-day conference carries the theme "Media: Connecting Peoples and Bridging Cultures towards One Asean Community". The Asean Community comprises three pillars, namely the Asean Political-Security Community, the Asean Economic Community and the Asean Socio-Cultural Community.

The 10-member regional grouping, with a combined population of some 600 million, comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.