Military and police lined the streets of Phnom Penh on Monday (April 2) as the Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) kicked off a meeting where they are expected to discuss regional issues ranging from territorial disputes and the North Korean nuclear threat.
Cambodia, as the host of this year's 10-member ASEAN meetings is fast-becoming a pawn in diplomatic negotiations over the potentially energy-rich South China Sea.
China claims parts of the sea as it Read more

Military and police lined the streets of Phnom Penh on Monday (April 2) as the Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) kicked off a meeting where they are expected to discuss regional issues ranging from territorial disputes and the North Korean nuclear threat.
Cambodia, as the host of this year's 10-member ASEAN meetings is fast-becoming a pawn in diplomatic negotiations over the potentially energy-rich South China Sea.
China claims parts of the sea as its own, drawing the ire of countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam. The U.S. has backed the southeast Asian countries' claims to the waters which sees high volumes of shipping trade, as it wants the waters to remain free and open to navigation.
Chinese President Hu Jintao has been on an official state visit as the the ASEAN meetings. Political watchers say the visit is a ploy to encourage Cambodia to play down the South China Sea controversy wherever possible.
The senior level ASEAN meetings which start on Monday are also expected to touch on North Korea's rocket launch plans. The trajectory of the rocket which Pyongyang says will carry a weather satellite, may be over parts of Southeast Asia.
North Korea watchers say, however, that the rocket launch is a guise for a long-range missile test.
ASEAN leaders are due to hold a two-day summit meeting starting Tuesday (April 3). Close