U.S.-S'pore FTA shouldn't be allowed to disturb ASEAN<\/p>\n
Associated Press, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday that
\nneighboring Singapore's free-trade agreement with the United
\nStates should not be allowed to interfere with deals among the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).<\/p>\n
U.S. President George W. Bush and Singapore's Prime Minister
\nGoh Chok Tong on Tuesday signed a bilateral agreement in
\nWashington that would wipe out tariffs and other trade barriers
\non about US$33 billion in annual trade.<\/p>\n
If approved by U.S. Congress, Singapore would become the first
\nAsian nation to have such a duty-free arrangement with the United
\nStates.<\/p>\n
Mahathir, Asia's longest-serving elected leader, said he did
\nnot dispute Singapore's right to such an agreement.<\/p>\n
"If they want to have any agreement with anybody, it is their
\nbusiness, not ours," Mahathir was quoted as saying by the
\nnational news agency, Bernama. "Singapore is a foreign country,
\nit is a free country. We do not impose anything on foreign
\ncountries."<\/p>\n
Asked about the potential impact of the agreement on the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations, Mahathir said: "As far as
\nwe are concerned, we are ASEAN and we are not going to allow
\nanything extraneous to interfere with (the) ASEAN grouping."<\/p>\n
ASEAN, founded in 1967 to strengthen regional economic ties,
\ncomprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
\nThailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The regional grouping plans to establish a free trade area
\namong its members countries, and has signed framework agreements
\nwith China and Japan.<\/p>",
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