Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said that during the two-day meeting the high-level representatives of HSN member states exchanged views on human security related issues, particularly physical, environment and health security.

"We will continue to promote human security, especially freedom from fear, freedom from want and freedom to live," said Kantathi yesterday.

Kantathi explained that freedom from fear means to control destructive weapons and contribute to peacekeeping operations, while freedom from want is to fight against poverty. Freedom to live, he said, is to human-centred development.

He said the group also reviewed the progress of work and planned to enhance cooperation among members. So far, member countries not only promote human security internationally, but also work domestically in several human security-related issues, including HIV/Aids, avian influenza, human trafficking and land-mines.

Kantathi said that the group also reflected on how to strengthen the HSN in the domestic, regional and international context. The network saw the need to extend partnership with the civil society and private sector, he said.

The ministerial meeting also agreed to expand memberships from its current 13 full members and one observer, said Kantathi.

"We agreed to expand the membership to countries in the region that are under-represented, particularly from Africa and Asia."

The group, however, has not yet revealed prospective member countries.

The HSN is an informal, inter-regional grouping of 13 like-minded countries that was created by Canada and Norway in 1999. It has been viewed as a driving force in promoting international awareness of human security in the United Nations and other related forums.

Austria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ireland, Jordan, Mali, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Slovenia and Thailand are full members and South Africa is an observer. The next HSN ministerial meeting will be held in Slovenia.