Ministers Focus on Expanding Free Trade Ahead of ASEAN Summit
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=A299C1:2F72C9DASEAN Ministers also to discuss trade union with representatives of
China, India, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand
ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Vientiane Southeast Asian ministers have
wrapped up preparations for ASEAN's 10th summit, which starts Monday.
Free trade and expanding ties with Asian neighbors China and India are
high on the agenda. Meanwhile, ASEAN's business leaders say free trade
will not ease commerce, without infrastructure support.
Ministers and business leaders wrapped up meetings in Vientiane
Sunday, ready for this year's summit of the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN.
There will be a score of deals signed, most focusing on free trade
within the bloc. But ASEAN leaders will also meet wit six other major
Asian economies: China, India, Australia, Japan, South Korea and New
Zealand.
The goal is to create European Union-style integration by 2010.
China will sign a free trade agreement at the summit, creating the
world's largest free trade zone in the next six years. Negotiations
are starting with India, and talks with the other four countries are
slated for next year.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi Sunday told the business
community that intra-ASEAN trade alone is not the key in this global
environment; China and India are indispensable to spur trade and
investment in the region.
"The underlying objective is to generate more opportunities in trade
and investment for both domestic and foreign investors," he said.
Leaders of the four poorest ASEAN nations, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam,
and Laos, agreed Sunday to forge stronger economic links to narrow the
development gap with their wealthier neighbors.
"[We] called upon the ASEAN members to renew more effective assistance
and support for the countries, in accelerating implementation of the
initiatives of ASEAN integration to ensure sustainable benefits to
ASEAN members" said Yong Chanthalangsy, Laos government Spokesman.
Business delegates finished their meetings Sunday, warning that free
trade agreements alone will not enhance commerce. They are stressing
that more attention be paid to improving roads and transportation and
standardizing customs rules and regulations.
Meanwhile, ASEAN lawmakers meeting in Kuala Lumpur have called for
military-ruled Burma to be suspended and denied the 2006 rotating
chairmanship, until it make serious moves toward democracy and
improving human rights.
ASEAN has a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of
member nations, and has not placed Burma's political situation on the
agenda.
However, officials say that Burma and other thorny issues like
Thailand's unrest in the mostly-Muslim southern part of the country
may be taken up unofficially during the two days of meetings.