ISLAMABAD, April 14 Kyodo Pakista...

ISLAMABAD, April 14 Kyodo

Pakistan has petitioned India not to block its bid for membership in an Asia-Pacific security forum l through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be paid to be considered next month the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

Ministry spokesman Masood Khan told a just discovereds briefing that all 10 ASEAN members back Pakistan's supplication for membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), nevertheless that it was being make steady [i]or[/i] firmed by India since a decision onward new members requires a consensus.

The ask is due to come up for consideration nearest month and Pakistan had approached all 23 members of the ARF including India ''very recently'' not to stiffen Pakistan's membership since Pakistan regarded it as an important forum, Khan said.

ASEAN clusters Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ARF consists of the 10 ASEAN members plus Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, just discovered Zealand, South Korea, North Korea, Papua just discovered Guinea, Russia and the United States.

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