ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting: South China Sea dispute, North Korea tensions dominate conference

[caption id=“attachment_3903565” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] ASEAN is holding the foreign ministers’ summit in Philippines capital Manila on Monday. ASEAN is also celebrating its 50th year of existence. Reuters[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3903575” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China adopted on Sunday a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a move they hailed as progress. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3903607” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said the adoption of the framework created a solid foundation for negotiations that could start this year, if “the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable. AP[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3903615” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] Apart from the South China Sea issue, the rising tensions with North Korea, over its nuclear programme, was also discussed in the meeting. Twitter @ASEAN[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_3903629” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] India on Sunday said the ASEAN occupies a central place in the ‘security architecture’ of the Asia-Pacific region and has the ‘unique ability’ to reflect the larger interests of the world. AP[/caption]