ASEAN meets to discuss mining cooperation

ASEAN meets to discuss mining cooperation

The inaugural ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM), the first in a series of special conferences to discuss mining cooperation among ASEAN member countries, was held in Vientiane, Laos, on 26-27 January. The talks' aim was to establish outlines of cooperation on industrial mineral mining between ASEAN member countries Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam during 2005-2010. A memorandum of understanding on mining cooperation was also drawn up following the talks. The memorandum will be submitted for the approval of ASEAN Mining Ministers at the upcoming meeting in July. The overall goal of the talks is to turn the mining industry into a major force among the member countries.