Jakarta, May 28 -- Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn has outlined two issues that will need to be examined regarding Papua New Guinea's bid to join the regional organization.

Speaking at a press briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday, Kao said that based on the ASEAN Charter, the bloc has only 11 member countries.

"If we were to include the PNG (Papua New Guinea), two issues would need to be addressed. One, of course, is the consensus of the 11 countries. Second, the Mandate Charter," Kao said.

He, however, emphasized that all ASEAN member countries have the prerogative to raise the issue.

At the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto proposed th...