Thorny issues such as violence in southern Thailand and democratic reform in Burma have been left off the agenda of December's Asean summit although leaders can raise them on the sidelines.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said formal discussions would not be held because of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) policy of non-interference in each other's affairs.

"The structured agenda is very clear," he told a press conference yesterday, adding that topics listed in the agenda included economics and trade cooperation.

"Asean is not in the habit of discussing a particular country in an agenda."

However, Syed Hamid said leaders were free to raise any issue on the sidelines of the summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur, but suggested that even then talks would be cautious.

"The leaders can discuss everything but the leaders are also conscious of the Asean tradition," he said.

Asean charter of human rights

A proposed Asean charter of human rights would also not be listed on the agenda, Syed Hamid said.

"Within those few days, we have to be focussed. Our focus is more economic and the integration of Asean rather than discussion on specific issues, human rights," he said.

Asean's non-interference policy has been strained in recent years, particularly by the Burmese junta's refusal to adopt democratic reforms which has embarrassed other members of the 10-nation grouping.

Thailand and Malaysia have also been engaged in a war of words over the flight of 131 Thai Muslims across their common border, apparently fleeing violence in their homeland in a movement that worries Malaysia.

Syed Hamid said the inaugural East Asia summit to be held after the Asean talks will concentrate on mapping out a direction for the forum which comprises Asean plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand.

He said the East Asia summit would also discuss practical issues such as how often it should meet.

Asean members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.