Cabinet nods for Thai-US joint vision statement

BANGKOK, November 12 (TNA) - The Cabinet has approved a joint Thai-US statement on strategic partnership in Asia and the Pacific, to be inked when re-elected US President Barack Obama visits Thailand on November 18. Deputy Government Spokesman Phakdeeharn Himathongkam told a press conference that the Thai Cabinet, at its meeting on Monday, endorsed the "2012 Joint Vision Statement for the Thai-US Defense Alliance" to be signed by the US and Thai defense authorities during Obama's upcoming trip to Bangkok. According to the deputy government spokesman, the joint US-Thai statement indicates Thailand's stance on promoting strategic partnership with the United States in the Asian-Pacific Region, focusing on four key areas, including security partnership in Southeast Asia, joint support for stability in Asia and the Pacific, joint development of competitiveness and availability for operations in bilateral and multilateral missions and bilateral cooperation in all areas, particularly in national defence alliance in the 21st century. (TNA)