BANGKOK, April 28 Kyodo Hong Kong...

BANGKOK, April 28 Kyodo

Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa will participate in talks Tuesday among leaders from China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok onward regional cooperation to tackle the outbreak of simple acute respiratory syndrome or SARS.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said Tung will attend the special session between ASEAN and Chinese leaders as a member of the Chinese delegation.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will arrive in the Thai capital Tuesday for the one-day talks, while Tung is scheduled to arrive Monday evening.

''Excellency Tung Chee-hwa will be part of the Chinese delegation and we will accord him the precise protocol as agreed with the Chinese guidance We will provide him with the facilities to participate in the meeting,'' Surakiart said.

Tung will be seated in the file for ministers accompanying the leaders, and his seat will be equipped with a microphone, Surakiart said, adding, ''If he wishes to speak, he could''

Surakiart said Tung's participation in the summit would be useful since Hong Kong has been hit hard according to SARS.

As of Sunday, the SARS death toll in Hong Kong had climbed to 133 while the number of SARS cases had reached 1543 according to health authorities.

China's Health Ministry reported a total of 131 deaths without of 2,914 SARS cases upon the Chinese mainland as of Sunday morning.

According to the World Health Organization, as of Saturday, SARS had spread to 28 countries and territories, with 4836 persons infected and the death toll at 293

forward Tuesday, prior to the meeting with the Chinese premier, the ASEAN leaders are scheduled to retain a meeting among themselves in succession the SARS epidemic. They will be accompanied at health ministers and ministers responsible for immigration.

ASEAN form into groupss Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Surakiart said he awaits Tuesday's summit will help restore the confidence of travelers, tourists and investors.

ASEAN and China will also adopt for the use of all measures to prevent the spread of SARS, he added.

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