Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and US president Barack Obama will jointly endorse guidelines to enhance cooperation in the first stand-alone US-Asean Summit at California's Rancho Mirage next week, says government spokesman Werachon Sukhondhapatipak.
The result of the summit will be issued in cooperation guidelines, called the Sunnylands Principles, to be endorsed by Mr Obama and 10 Asean leaders, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who will depart for the US on Sunday and return on Thursday.
The summit will be held at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Maj Gen Werachon said.
In November last year, Mr Obama invited Asean leaders to the special talk after Asean elevated relations with the US from dialogue partner to strategic partner.
Maj Gen Werachon said economic, security, terrorism and transnational challenges will be on the agenda at the meeting, with the summit divided into three sessions covering key topics: promoting regional prosperity through innovation and entrepreneurship, the regional strategic outlook and protecting peace prosperity and security in the Asia-Pacific.
President Obama, Prime Minister Prayut at the Asean summit at Kuala Lumpur last November.
Regarding the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), the spokesman said the issue will also be covered by the talks, but Thailand will tell the meeting it is still studying the controversial trade pact, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (Rcep), in which Asean plays the key role.
The summit results will guide future cooperation between the US and Asean and come after the Asean bloc launched the Asean Community, Maj Gen Werachon said.
Under the Sunnylands principles, the US and Asean leaders affirm to deepen their cooperation, on the economy and security in particular, and support the "proper" approaches to deal with the regional disputes.
The leaders will also emphasise the importance of unimpeded lawful commerce, including freedom of navigation amid the territorial rows in the South China Sea involving claimant states including China that has built artificial islands in the disputed sea.
Another key commitment among the US and Asean leaders is protecting the region from terrorism and violent extremism which threaten international peace, he said.
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