ASEAN senior officials gathered here on Saturday to finalize the terms of reference of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group (ACC WG), which is tasked to review the ASEAN member process, said a press release.

In order to take into account the necessary modalities and proper timing for the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste to become the 11th ASEAN Member State on the application of Timor-Leste, ASEAN senior officials agreed to set up the ACC WG in March, 2012.

The third joint meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Council (SOCA) on the ACC WG was held at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

The meeting submitted the terms of reference of ACC WG to the ASEAN Coordinating Council for approval, according to the press release.

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Dr. SOEUNG Rathchavy, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and ASEAN SOM Leader of Cambodia.

The first and second Joint Meeting of the ASEAN SOM, SEOM and SOCA on ACC WG were held in Phnom Penh, on March 5-6, 2012 and in Singapore, on March 13-14, 2012, respectively.

The 18th SEOM-EU Consultations was also convened here and mainly discussed about the ASEAN-EU Economic Cooperation, the preparations for the 2nd ASEAN-EU Business Summit, and the preparations for the 11th ASEAN Economic Ministers-EU Trade Commissioner Consultation.

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