The SOM will discuss a number of issues including the priorities of Indonesia's ASEAN 2023 chairmanship and the preparations for implementing a series of ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministerial meetings and the 42nd summit.
W Manggarai, NTT (ANTARA) - The Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) of ASEAN was held at the Golo Mori Convention Center, here on Monday, ahead of the convening of the 42nd ASEAN Summit, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah stated.

"The SOM will discuss a number of issues including the priorities of Indonesia's ASEAN 2023 chairmanship and the preparations for implementing a series of ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministerial meetings and the 42nd summit," he noted in a press release received on Monday.

According to the press release, issued by the 2023 ASEAN Summit Communication and Media Team, Director for ASEAN Cooperation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Sidharto Suryodipuro would chair the SOM.

At the meeting, officials of foreign affairs ministries of all ASEAN member countries would discuss the draft of the ASEAN Post-2025 Vision towards ASEAN 2045.

The results of the meeting would be discussed further during the ASEAN foreign affairs ministerial meeting.

Furthermore, at the summit later, the heads of state of ASEAN member countries will provide directives and insights for the draft, so that the ASEAN Post-2025 Vision could be visionary, comprehensive, firm, and inclusive.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit will take place in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, on May 9-11, 2023, and be attended by the leaders of eight ASEAN member countries as well as Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Taur Matan Ruak.

Timor-Leste was finally admitted, in principle, by ASEAN member countries as the association’s 11th member in November 2022, though the country’s full membership is still pending.

Along with the agreement, Timor-Leste has also been granted observer status, which allows it to participate in all ASEAN high-level meetings.

Thailand and Myanmar would not be represented by their state heads during the summit.

Director General of Public Information and Communication at the Communication and Information Ministry Usman Kansong stated here on Monday that Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-Cha was unable to attend the summit since his country is preparing to hold a general election.

The election was scheduled to be implemented on May 14, 2023. Thus, Prayut appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Don Pramudwinai, who also serves as the country’s foreign affairs minister, to attend the summit.

Meanwhile, ASEAN member countries excluded the Myanmar military junta from high-level meetings of the organization since the military government was considered to have failed to implement the ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus initiated in April 2021 to help end the conflict in Myanmar.

On a separate occasion, Director for ASEAN Cooperation of the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry Sidharto Suryodipuro stated that Myanmar was represented by the representatives of its Foreign Affairs Ministry during the senior officials meeting.

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Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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