ASEAN economic ministers boycott Asia-Europe Meeting
Economic ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are boycotting this week’s meeting of economic ministers from Asia and Europe due to the Netherlands’ refusal to issue a visa for a Myanmar minister to attend, a top ASEAN official said Thursday.

ASEAN has instead sent only senior officials to attend the Sixth Asia-Europe Meeting for economic ministers being held Friday and Saturday in Rotterdam, ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong told Kyodo News.

The decision for the ministers to boycott the ASEM gathering was made earlier this week by ASEAN foreign ministers at their informal meeting in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

“ASEAN economic ministers were requested by ASEAN foreign ministers not to attend because Dutch authorities refused to issue visa to Myanmar’s minister,” Ong said.