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    KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- After five days of intensive preparatory work, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its dialogue partners now stand ready for a series of summit meetings slated for here this week, which are expected to take them a step closer to realizing greater cooperation in various fields.

    Ministers from the countries concerned have finalized the agenda, after senior officials coming up initial arrangements, for the 11th ASEAN Summit and related summits scheduled for Monday to Wednesday in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

    The ASEAN Summit is an annual meeting held on a rotational basis by the country which holds the Chairmanship of the ASEAN Standing Committee. The related summits that are to be held include the 9th ASEAN + 3 (China, Japan and Republic of Korea) Summit, 9th ASEAN + China Summit, 9th ASEAN + Japan Summit, 9th ASEAN + Republic of Korea Summit, 4th ASEAN + India Summit, the first ASEAN + Russia Summit, and the first East Asia Summit (EAS).

     The topics on the table for greater cooperation among ASEAN, ASEAN+3, and the EAS include terrorism, Avian flu, HIV/AIDs, the environment and the economy, said Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

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    "We want to move toward a brighter, more peaceful and prosperous future in line with the summit's theme of one vision, one identity, one community," Hamid said, adding the preparation meetings have been conducted "in a spirit of cooperation" and "the discussions have been very substantive."

    Among documents that have been discussed and drafted and will be signed by ASEAN leaders at the Summit was the ASEAN Charter. Drawn up for the first time in ASEAN's 38 years of history, the charter is expected to serve as a legal and institutional framework to back up the realization of its goals and objectives.

    The charter is likely to stress ASEAN's adherence to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states, and the need to uphold non-discrimination of any of the 10ASEAN countries in the group's external relations. It will also point toward the grouping continuing to prefer non-aggression and exclusive reliance on peaceful means to settle differences or disputes, and incorporate the grouping's desire to continue promoting democracy, human rights, transparency and good governance, according to a draft copy of the Declaration on the Establishment of the ASEAN Charter.