BEIJING, May 8 -- China has expressed its clear stance to support Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai in his bid for the top post of the United Nations over the next two years, the Thai News Agency reported.

    China said Friday that it is time that the next UN Secretary-General should come from the Asian region, and that Dr. Surakiart is qualified for the UN's top job.

    Beijing expressed the clear position at the Asean 3 Ministerial Meeting, held in the Japanese city of Kyoto Friday on the sidelines of the 7th Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers' Meeting (7th ASEM-FMM).

    Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon attended the meeting with his counterparts from other Asean member countries as well as China, Japan and South Korea.

    It was the first time that the Asean 3 Ministerial Meeting was held outside the Asean countries.

    Kantathi said that the Asean 3 meeting also discussed the forthcoming East Asian Summit, to be held in Malaysia later this year, and the proposed UN reform.

    The ministers also expressed their concerns over the ASEM future, as some European member states had sent their deputy foreign ministers and even senior officials to attend the 7th ASEM-FMM, instead of their foreign ministers, signalling that Europe had not paid enough attention to the cross continental meeting, scheduled for May 6-7.

(Source: China Daily/Agencies)