The Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the East Asia Summit (EAS) is expected to show that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is the driving force behind the EAS, an ASEAN spokesperson MC Abad said Wednesday.

Although ASEAN is the driving force, the 10-member grouping also recognized the roles and efforts of participating countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, the spokesperson told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu dawei, who led a Chinese delegation to the Senior Officials' Meeting for the 11th ASEAN Summit, said Wednesday that China supports ASEAN to play a key role in the East Asia cooperation. Wu made the remarks after his talks with Malaysian Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Abdul Razak.

The wording of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration is being discussed.

The Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the EAS is expected to be signed on Dec. 14

The EAS will see a gathering of leaders from ASEAN -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The first EAS is aimed at drawing ASEAN closer to China, Japan, Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Malaysia will host and chair the 11th ASEAN Summit, related Summits and the EAS here from Dec.12-14, 2005.

Source: Xinhua