VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders gathered in the capital of Laos on Wednesday for an annual regional forum that will focus on tackling the prolonged civil war in Myanmar and territorial tensions in the South China Sea, two key challenges that have long tested the bloc's credibility.

VIENTIANE: Southeast Asian leaders pressed Myanmar's junta and its opponents on Wednesday (Oct 9) to take "concrete action" to stop the bloodshed in the country's civil war and sought to kickstart faltering diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis.

Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to find ways of tackling a worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand set to propose a new path for a political solution after a regional peace effort made scant progress.

Southeast Asian leaders gathered in the capital of Laos for an annual regional forum that will focus on tackling the prolonged civil war in Myanmar and territorial tensions in the South China Sea

By Panu Wongcha-um VIENTIANE, Laos (Reuters) -Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to seek ways address the worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand calling for heightened engagement ahead of a planned election by the country's embattled military rulers.

For the first time since the junta seized power three years ago, Myanmar will send a Foreign Ministry official to the summit. But that move has drawn criticism from some human rights groups, NGOs and opponents of the junta inside the country,

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is holding is annual leaders' summit in Laos this year. The world leaders will also hold talks with a representative of Myanmar's junta to try and negotiate a solution to the country's civil war.