EAEC not trade bloc as feared by U.S.: ASEAN<\/p>\n
GENTING HIGHLANDS, Malaysia (AFP): Non-communist Southeast
\nAsia will try to convince the United States next month that the
\nEast Asian Economic Caucus (EAEC) it has proposed for the region
\nis not a trade bloc, officials said Saturday.<\/p>\n
Economic ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN), said at the end of two days of informal talks
\nhere that an \"information paper\" on the Malaysian-initiated EAEC
\nwould be presented at the annual ASEAN-U.S. dialogue to be held
\nfrom May 5-7.<\/p>\n
The EAEC, proposed by Malaysia in 1990, would have the major
\neconomies of East Asia as its core members, but would exclude the
\nUnited States, officials said.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's international trade minister, Rafidah Aziz, said
\nthe paper would outline the mechanics of the EAEC and seek to
\ndeepen Washington's understanding of EAEC, meant as a loose
\nconsultative forum for East Asia's fastest growing economies.<\/p>\n
\"We want to tell the U.S. that it is not a trade bloc so that
\nit can have a better understanding of the caucus,\" Rafidah said,
\ndismissing a suggestion that a U.S. endorsement to launch the
\nEAEC was being sought.<\/p>\n
The EAEC's take-off has been delayed largely due to political
\nwrangling and U.S. objections which have made Japan reluctant to
\nopenly lend support.<\/p>\n
\"We don't need anybody's endorsement to launch the EAEC. We
\nare just using the annual dialogue that will be attended by
\nforeign ministry officials to present the paper to the U.S.,\"
\nRafidah told reporters at the end of the talks held at this golf
\nresort.<\/p>\n
Independent<\/p>\n
Rafidah said the caucus would be an independent entity linked
\nto the 17-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum
\nbecause its core members were also APEC members.<\/p>\n
\"The core members are likely to involve the ASEAN -- which
\ngroups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore
\nand Thailand -- and the major economies of East Asia that would
\ninclude China, South Korea and Japan,\" Rafidah said.<\/p>\n
Rafidah said it would focus primarily on economic development
\nissues \"and there is no reason for any objections or any adverse
\ncomments on it.\"<\/p>\n
At the talks were Brunei's Industry Minister Abdul Rahman
\nTaib, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade
\nHartarto and Trade Minister Joedono, Rizalino Navarro of the
\nPhilippines and Singapore's Yeo Cheow Tong.<\/p>\n
Thailand was represented by its Deputy Premier Supachai
\nPanitchpakdi and Commerce Minister Uthai Pimchaichorn.<\/p>\n
ASEAN foreign ministers agreed in July 1992 to form the EAEC
\nafter debating the proposal for more than two-and-a-half years
\namid strong U.S. objections.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, the EAEC will operate as a caucus within
\nAPEC but under the direction of the ASEAN economic ministers.<\/p>\n
The administration of President Bill Clinton has adopted a
\nsofter stance on the EAEC plan after the previous George Bush
\nadministration actively campaigned against the new grouping as
\nessentially an Asian trade bloc.<\/p>\n
Rafidah said it would be better if EAEC took off first with
\nsome core members so that time was not wasted on wrangling over
\nwho should eventually be its members.<\/p>\n
\"That will be a better alternative rather than bring in the
\nwhole world now and yet nothing gets done,\" Rafidah said.<\/p>\n
But she could not say when the caucus would begin
\ndeliberations, although ASEAN officials had indicated earlier
\nthat they were working towards launching it this year.<\/p>\n
\"We have not determined any deadline. It takes time for such
\nthings to evolve. After all, the EU (European Union) took 30
\nyears to come about,\" she said.<\/p>",
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