ASEAN envoys in U.S. for investment drive

ASEAN envoys in U.S. for investment drive

JAKARTA (JP): Ambassadors of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the United States will launch a campaign
next month to woo American investment in the six member
countries.

The ambassadors will target three states: Arkansas, Illinois
and Arizona, the Washington-based U.S.-ASEAN Council for Business
and Technology Inc., said in a statement made available
yesterday.

The council, a private organization representing private
sectors' interests in ASEAN with Ernest Z. Bower as director, is
sponsoring the tour, the third of its kind. The highly successful
first two campaigns, in 1992 and 1993, helped introduce the six
ASEAN countries to the American business community.

The ambassadors will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas, on Oct.
24, Chicago, Illinois on Oct. 26 and Phoenix, Arizona on Oct. 31.

The ambassadors will speak at seminars in each city in an
effort to tap the investment and trade potential of the ASEAN
countries, council spokesman John Goyer said in the statement.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand.

These countries, with a combined gross domestic product of
US$400 billion, form the United States' third largest market
after Japan and the European Union.

The tour follows the highly successful campaign by U.S.
ambassadors to ASEAN countries in June which stopped in Los
Angeles, Seattle, Denver, St. Louis, New York and Washington DC.

Goyer said the ASEAN ambassadors, along with their embassies'
economic counselors, would share their knowledge and expertise on
business opportunities for American firms in Southeast Asia.

"Federal, state and local assistance agencies will also
provide information on international trade finance programs,
investment strategies and market access and support networks," he
said. (rms)