Leaders join hands during the closing ceremony of the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, at the elite beach resort of Hua Hin, southern Thailand, in October 2009. The United States said Monday it would no longer allow its row with Myanmar to hold its ties with Southeast Asia hostage, as President Barack Obama geared up for his debut official visit to the region.
(AFP/File/Christophe Archambault)