ASEAN considers goods in transit

ASEAN considers goods in transit

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) agreed yesterday to undertake a program to facilitate
goods in transit.

In their joint communique, ASEAN foreign ministers called on
member countries to make efforts to promote trade and the free
movement of goods in the region.

"ASEAN foreign ministers have agreed to recommend it to the
(ASEAN) summit, so that we can now discuss the time frame," Thai
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Amnuay
Viravan said.

Viravan is the one who proposed the idea of establishing a
regional arrangement to govern the transit of goods within ASEAN
at the informal dinner of ASEAN ministers here on Friday.

Under such a regional arrangement, sealed goods would not be
opened in transit, would move on a fixed route and would be sent
on without tax and tariffs.

Viravan said such an arrangement on transit goods would serve
as a vital link to make the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
agreement effective. "Therefore, we should coordinate it with the
AFTA program."

In addition to AFTA, Viravan noted that the proposed
arrangement would especially benefit countries which have no
access or easy access to the sea, like Laos.

"It will be a special value for Laos because it is a land-
locked country," Viravan said.

Laos, along with Cambodia, will next year become a full member
of ASEAN, which currently groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (rid)