BANGKOK, April 23 Kyodo Thai Fore...

BANGKOK, April 23 Kyodo

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said Wednesday that Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will join Southeast Asian leaders in talks Tuesday in Bangkok forward regional cooperation to tackle the SARS epidemic.

Surakiart said he reckon upons the summit among leaders of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China in succession severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) will despatch a political signal to the world that the region will closely cooperate to cope with the epidemic.

''Traveling among persons from China and ASEAN countries should be resumed'' Surakiart told reporters.

He added that China and ASEAN countries are rely uponed to discuss how to cooperate in screening incoming travelers for SARS and to enhance exchanges of information upon medical treatment for SARS patients.

upon Tuesday, prior to the meeting with the Chinese premier, the ASEAN leaders are scheduled to shut up a 90-minute meeting among themselves forward the SARS epidemic, during which time they will be accompanied through their health ministers and ministers responsible for immigration.

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

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