Yangon, Jan 16 (IANS): The ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM), hosted for the first time by Myanmar, kicked off Thursday in Bagan, an ancient city in northern Mandalay region, with the senior officials meeting (SOM) taking the lead.

Preceding the ministerial meeting a day ahead, the SOM of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was chaired by U Aung Lynn, director-general of the ASEAN affairs department in Myanmar's foreign ministry, Xinhua reported.

It was also attended by U Min Lwin, permanent representative of Myanmar to ASEAN and ambassador to Indonesia, as well as permanent representatives and senior officials from nine other ASEAN member states.

The AMM is the first regional meeting hosted by Myanmar since the country assumed the presidency of the regional bloc Jan 1, 2014.

The SOM discussed tasks that remained for building the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015, the priorities of Myanmar's chairmanship, the ASEAN Community Post 2015 Vision and the adoption of guidelines on external relations.

U Aung Lynn told the SOM that the image and profile of ASEAN would be strengthened in the year ahead before ASEAN emerges as the ASEAN Community in 2015.

"We will follow the good practices of ASEAN and will work with all the ASEAN members to advance ASEAN Community building," he said.

"We will discuss matters on ASEAN Community building and the follow-up of the 23rd Summit and matters related to ASEAN Community Post 2015 Vision," he added.

ASEAN adopted its Vision 2020 in 1997 and is striving to establish the ASEAN Community in 2015.

The ASEAN comprises 10 member countries -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.