President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will tackle seven key issues when she attends the 11^th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 11 to 14.

In a press conference in Malacaņang this afternoon, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the President will focus on matters that will have strong impact on the economic, political and cultural affairs not only of the Philippines but also of the whole Asean region.

The issues, he said, include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines-East Asia Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) program, energy security, inter-faith dialogue, the South China sea as an area of cooperation, the Asean charter and counter-terrorism

On counter-terrorism, Ermita said the President plans to reiterate the Philippine proposal for joint cooperation with other Asean member countries.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Gilbert Asuque, who was also present at the press conference, said President Arroyo will also join other Asean leaders in signing the declaration of establishment of the Asean charter, the declaration of the East Asia summit and the declaration of the Asean +3 Summit.

"This is important for us because there are many issues that are close to the administration of the President, especially on the 10-point agenda, in terms of economic development as well as security," Asuque stressed.

Asuque said the formal signing of the Asean charter is seen as a milestone in the region because "it commits the Asean leaders to establish a new legal institutional framework that will help realize goals and objectives of an Asean community."

"The Asean charter will confer a legal personality to Asean and streamline the existing body and mechanisms," Asuque pointed out.

Charles Jose, executive director of the DFA’s Asia-Pacific Desk, said the President would also attend the first-ever East Asia Summit.

President Arroyo, Jose said, is expected to call for heightened investments in relevant energy conservation programs, maritime security and safety, marine environment protection, and greater support for BIMP-EAGA, among others.

He added that the President will likewise highlight the importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in poverty alleviation and employment generation.

Secretary Jesus Dureza, the chairman of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) who also heads the BIMP-EAGA program, gave a briefing on the BIMP-EAGA project. He said a BIMP-EAGA sub-summit will be held too following its initial 2003 edition in Indonesia.