U.S. tells Japan it opposes EAEC proposal<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (Kyodo): The United States has formally informed
\nJapan it opposes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) plan for an East Asian Economic Caucus (EAEC), official
\nJapanese and ASEAN sources said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo conveyed Washington's opposition to
\nthe EAEC proposal to the Japanese government on June 7, saying
\nthe caucus would have a negative effect on the Asia-Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation (APEC) forum.<\/p>\n
It marks the first time that the administration of President
\nBill Clinton, which has taken a wait-and-see attitude on the
\nEAEC, has explicitly opposed the proposal.<\/p>\n
The embassy also told Japanese officials that Thailand, which
\nis the current chairman of ASEAN, and Brunei, as the ASEAN
\nchairman of the U.S.-ASEAN dialogue this year, will be informed
\nabout Washington's stance.<\/p>\n
The declaration of U.S. opposition to the caucus comes soon
\nafter ASEAN officials briefed the U.S. government during the
\nU.S.-ASEAN dialogue meeting in Washington in May on the details
\nof the EAEC as formulated by ASEAN in a blueprint on the EAEC
\nconcept.<\/p>\n
According to the blueprint, the EAEC is not "a subsidiary
\norgan of APEC but would function independently of it."<\/p>\n
It points out that even though ASEAN agreed last year that the
\nEAEC would function as a caucus within APEC, it is not a caucus
\n"of" APEC.<\/p>\n
The blueprint also says "the caucus would determine its own
\nagenda" and "the results of the caucus' discussions need not be
\nreported to APEC meetings unless deemed necessary."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-tells-japan-it-opposes-eaec-proposal-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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