The 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit will open in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia on April 3-4.

Under the theme "ASEAN: One Community, One Destiny", the summit will mainly discuss the acceleration of ASEAN's integration, the implementation of ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN connectivity, the establishment of ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, realizing drug-free ASEAN in 2015 and other issues.

Building the ASEAN community is a long-cherished wish for the regional bloc. The process started in 2003 and has been accelerated in 2007 that the three-pillar building, which consists of the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community will be accomplished by 2015.

It is expected that the 10 members of ASEAN will reach an agreement during the summit so that they can make a notable progress in meeting the target this year.

ASEAN foreign ministers met representatives from the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) earlier Monday, with the AICHR having submitted progress report on the drafting of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). The next ASEAN summit will adopt AHRD in November 2012.

The establishment of ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) will be further discussed as the draft proposed outlines of the Terms of Reference of AIPR has not yet been fully agreed on the substance.

The summit will also discuss the steps to sign the ASEAN Statement on the Protocol to the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty, and ASEAN foreign ministers will adopt the memorandum of understanding between ASEAN member states and China on the Protocol to the SEANWFZ.

In terms of ASEAN's expansion, the summit will consider Timor- Leste's application for joining the group.

Other topics include realizing Drug-Free ASEAN in 2015, with the Summit being expected to adopt "ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on Drug-Free ASEAN 2015"; encouraging ASEAN leaders to attend the ASEAN Global Dialogue to promote the bloc's profile in international arena; and conducting a seminar on ASEAN visa cooperation to deliberate on the prospect of ASEAN common visa for non-ASEAN citizens in the future.

In addition, ASEAN leaders will discuss and pass some important documents, including motivating the economic recovery and sustainable development in ASEAN, and enhancing the ability to tackle climate change and infectious diseases.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The ASEAN Summit is held twice a year, with the 10 members taking turns to chair the meeting.