ASEAN meeting targets integration<\/p>\n
Ian Mader, Associated Press\/Vientiane<\/p>\n
Reclusive Laos cordoned off its capital Thursday as it opened its
\nfirst-ever major conference, drawing together Asian nations in
\ntheir aspirations for European-style economic integration while
\naddressing terrorism and other regional threats.<\/p>\n
Security checkpoints around Vientiane blocked any
\ntroublemakers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) meeting, following two bomb blasts this month at the Thai
\nborder that injured nobody but sparked security fears in this
\nsmall and normally placid communist nation.<\/p>\n
The agenda included a free trade accord between Southeast Asia
\nand China, an anti-terrorism pact and efforts by Myanmar's
\nneighbors to spur its stalled moves toward democracy to end
\nunwelcome international attention on the region's human rights
\nrecord.<\/p>\n
Senior officials from ASEAN's 10 members gathered in Vientiane
\nto prepare for leaders summits on Monday and Tuesday, grouping
\nthe core countries with partners China, Japan, South Korea,
\nIndia, Australia and New Zealand in the region's major annual
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
European Union-style integration is a huge challenge,
\nespecially for Southeast Asia, where standards of living vary
\nwidely and governments range from Brunei's absolute monarchy to
\nThailand's fledgling democracy.<\/p>\n
"EU countries are almost the same, including their living
\nstandards and their human resources, but our region is still so
\ndifferent," said Boualith Khounsy, the Laotian Finance Ministry
\nofficial for ASEAN affairs.<\/p>\n
Laotian hosts hope to use their debut to attract more sorely
\nneeded foreign investment and tourism to their landlocked and
\nimpoverished country of only 5 million people.<\/p>\n
The government tried to put the best possible face on
\nVientiane, the sleepy and dusty capital on the Mekong River.<\/p>\n
ASEAN nations have been working on a free trade area for their
\nregion's 530 million people and its combined economy of US$1
\ntrillion (765 billion euros), and at a summit last year agreed to
\ncreate a European-style economic community by 2010.<\/p>\n
They want to create a consistent production base across the
\nregion to attract foreign investment that is now being siphoned
\noff by neighboring giants China and India.<\/p>\n
At the same time, ASEAN is seeking closer economic ties with
\nthose countries.<\/p>\n
ASEAN and China are to sign an accord on Tuesday to set up a
\nfree trade area aimed at removing tariffs on merchandise goods by
\n2010. The two sides would begin tariff cuts in 2005.<\/p>\n
Despite a long tradition of avoiding interference in each
\nother's domestic affairs, ASEAN members may seek to cite Myanmar
\nover its dismal rights record in this year's summit statement,
\nThai officials have said.<\/p>\n
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