ASEAN economic mission in Vietnam

ASEAN economic mission in Vietnam

HANOI (AFP): A senior ASEAN economic delegation has begun a
six-day visit to Vietnam to determine what economic role the
communist country will play in future ties with its richer
neighbors, a senior diplomat said yesterday.

The visit by the 15-strong group is the first such trip here
by high-level Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
officials since Vietnam applied to join the association in
October.

"It is an extremely important trip for both Vietnam and
ASEAN," the ASEAN diplomat said.

"They have come to study the economic conditions, economic
situation and economic policy in Vietnam ahead of Hanoi's
expected entry into the organization in July," he added.

"The main goal is to be briefed and to see how Vietnam can
participate in ASEAN economic cooperation after it joins. This is
especially important considering the fact that the level of
economic development here is much lower than in other ASEAN
countries," the diplomat, who required anonymity, said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand and was paradoxically founded in 1967 to
stand up to fears that Vietnam's communist government harbored
expansionist plans for the region.

The diplomat said the trip was unlikely to have any effect on
Vietnam's application to join the group, but added it would be
crucial in deciding Vietnam's economic role within the group and
for establishing what changes Hanoi would have to make after
joining.

He said the delegation -- made up of ASEAN's top economic
officials and of cadres from member states -- was not charged
with drawing up any concrete suggestions or plans, but would
instead report its findings directly to ASEAN's economic
ministers.

"The nuts and bolts -- like Vietnam lowering certain tariffs
-- will have to be decided at a later date, but the visit will
help in letting Hanoi know what it will have to do," the diplomat
said.

Since Vietnam launched its first drive towards membership by
becoming an observer in 1993, a number of issues have emerged
that have needed to be overcome, including a shortage of English
speakers among Vietnamese officials.

Threats of an end to promotions for bureaucrats who failed to
master ASEAN's lingua franca have hastened improvements while the
foreign ministry has been widely consulting the group's members
on how to adapt.

At a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Bangkok in July,
the members agreed to admit Vietnam, which has had to overcome
lingering political and economic suspicions to win backing from
countries that were once among its foremost rivals.

Growing trade and investment links have been vital in breaking
down some barriers, with more than US$1.5 billion of investment
here from ASEAN members.

The group met senior trade, foreign affairs, state planning
committee and state bank officials earlier Monday and will also
visit Danang and the southern commercial capital Ho Chi Minh
City.