HANOI: Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expressed "deep concern" at the sinking of a South Korean warship, says a draft document which fails to assign blame.

"We expressed deep concern over the sinking of (the) ship Cheonan and the rising tension on the Korean peninsula," says the draft obtained by AFP ahead of the 10 foreign ministers` annual talks, which begin in Vietnam on Monday.

BDST: 0939 HRS, 18 July 2010