The ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were attending a retreat in Luang Prabang in Laos, which is chair this year of the 10-member bloc.

In a statement, they also called for a cessation of hostilities in Myanmar to allow delivery of humanitarian aid, and concerning the South China Sea, urged a conducive environment for the furthering of talks towards a code of conduct between ASEAN and China.

(Reporting by Martin Petty, editing by Ed Osmond)