AP

Posted: 2007-11-08 00:29:14

BANGKOK, Nov. 8 (Kyodo) – Newly appointed Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein arrived in Vientiane on Thursday for a one-day official visit to meet Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh before joining other leaders from the 10 nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore for an annual summit, a Lao official said.

Thein Sein, who came into office late last month, is accompanied by more than 20 delegation members, including Foreign Minister Nyan Win, according to Lao Foreign Ministry spokesman Yong Chanthalangsy.

The two premiers will meet at a plenary later Thursday to be followed by a courtesy call on Lao President Choummaly Sayasone, Yong said.

Bouasone will host a banquet for his Myanmar counterpart Thursday evening.

Thein Sein will leave for Hanoi on Friday morning, according to Yong.

A high-level Lao official said he expected Thein Sein to discuss the Singapore summit scheduled for Nov. 20-21.

Thein Sein also planned to visit Cambodia this week, but it is unlikely he will do so because of national holidays in Cambodia from Friday through Sunday.

In Phnom Penh, Cambodian government sources said Wednesday Cambodia has proposed Thein Sein visit after Nov. 13, but no reply has yet come from Myanmar.

A recent bloody crackdown on protests in Myanmar resulted in the deaths of scores of peaceful protesters and a Japanese journalist, and strong reactions from of the world.

But Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, known as close neighboring countries, took a softer stance on the junta’s actions than many other nations.