ASEAN studying possible expansion of E. Asia summit

ASEAN studying possible expansion of E. Asia summit

Agence France-Presse, Mactan, Philippines/Sydney, Australia

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is studying the possible expansion of an East Asia summit to include other dialog partners, its foreign ministers said on Sunday.

But agreement on how to accept new members into the summit will first have to be reached, the ministers said at they gathered in the central Philippine resort island of Mactan in Cebu for an annual retreat.

Malaysia will host the first East Asia Summit in December to include ASEAN and its "Plus Three" partners China, Japan and South Korea.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

However Australia, New Zealand and India have also expressed a desire to join the summit.

Filipino Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said "the terms of reference, the modalities and the mechanisms" for the summit were being worked out "including those who want to join in addition to the 'Plus Three'."

He said "it may be good to involve other dialog partners" but added that any summit must be chaired and hosted by ASEAN.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said ASEAN "is never exclusive, ASEAN is inclusive. How do we go about achieving that inclusiveness, that is the point we need to decide."

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Sunday that Malaysia has not ruled out including Australia in a planned new Asian grouping amid opposition charges that the country's stance on terror had hurt its involvement in the region.

Malaysian Prime Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stopped short during a visit here last week of backing Australia's inclusion in the inaugural meeting of the East Asia Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur in December.

Abdullah's deputy Najib Razak has already called for Australia, New Zealand and India to be left out of the new Asian bloc which combines the 10-member ASEAN with Japan, China and South Korea.

But speaking on commercial television, Downer said Malaysia did not appear to be opposed to Australian involvement in the meeting during his talks in Canberra with senior officials, including Prime Minister John Howard.

"We had very encouraging discussions with the Malaysians about it. They weren't negative about Australian participation and the way it is sometimes characterized," he told Ten network.

"They are not sure about the timing of the inclusive approach to the East Asia Summit.

"But they certainly didn't say to us privately they were opposed to an inclusive approach."