SE Asian countries seek unity through technology<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (AP): The nations of Southeast Asia - ranging from
\npoor, agrarian Laos to ultra-modern, Internet-savvy Singapore -
\nmight seem worlds apart when it comes to economic development.<\/p>\n
But their leaders will try to bring them closer together this
\nweek through technology.<\/p>\n
Officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are
\nscheduled to sign a free-trade pact on Friday aiming to eliminate
\nduties on information technology goods and services by 2010. The
\naccord also seeks to facilitate e-commerce among the region's
\ncitizens.<\/p>\n
A draft of the \"e-ASEAN Framework Agreement,\" released to the
\nmedia on Wednesday, said member states would work to establish
\nhigh-speed Internet connections within the region.<\/p>\n
The draft said the group would also provide information about
\nASEAN to tourism Web sites and digital libraries.<\/p>\n
It said member countries should enact laws and policies to
\nmake electronic commerce safe and effective for consumers. It
\nurges ASEAN members Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia,
\nPhilippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei and Myanmar to pass
\nlegislation making digital signatures as legally binding as their
\npen-and-paper counterparts.<\/p>\n
A digital signature is a copy of a person's signature saved in
\na computer as an image. If a coffee grower in Vietnam wanted to
\nmake a deal with a buyer in the United States, they could seal
\ntheir pact by attaching a digital signature to an e-mailed
\ncontract.<\/p>\n
Several ASEAN countries, including Thailand and Singapore,
\nhave some form of digital signature legislation on the books. The
\nUnited States, Germany and Ireland recently passed digital
\nsignature laws.<\/p>\n
The draft's call for greater legal protection is important
\nbecause many Asians are afraid to buy or sell things over the
\nInternet. Often, they don't have legal recourse if an online
\ntransaction is not honored.<\/p>\n
The e-ASEAN draft also said the grouping should work \"to adopt
\nmeasures to protect intellectual property rights arising from e-
\ncommerce\" and to promote consumer privacy. Intellectual property
\ntheft is common in Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
The draft said ASEAN would work in stages to liberalize cross-
\nborder trade in information technology products. Less developed
\nmembers Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam would be given more
\ntime and help to open their markets and develop infrastructure.<\/p>\n
The other ASEAN countries - Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei,
\nIndonesia, Thailand and the Philippines - will begin eliminating
\ne-commerce barriers in January 2003. Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and
\nVietnam will start in January 2008, according to the draft.<\/p>\n
The draft said the pact was part of the grouping's vision to
\ncreate an ASEAN Free Trade Area - a goal which has been stalled
\nby protectionist measures such as Malaysia's insistence on
\nmaintaining automotive tariffs.<\/p>",
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