ASEAN to OK dozens of pacts in Laos
ASEAN to OK dozens of pacts in Laos
Martin Abbugao, Agence France-Presse, Vientiane
East Asian leaders will next week endorse a record number of
agreements to deepen economic integration, improve efforts to
fight terrorism and stop human trafficking, according to draft
statements on Thursday.
Senior officials of the 10-member Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) started work on Thursday on finalizing 35
agreements and statements expected to be issued after the Nov.
29-30 summit in Laos.
The summit will also be attended by the leaders of Australia,
China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, as ASEAN seeks
to expand its ties beyond the region.
A draft of the statements touched on regional and bilateral
issues, but made no reference to political unrest in ASEAN member
Thailand and the recent leadership shake-up in Myanmar, also a
member of the grouping.
A senior official said the two issues were likely to feature
in the leaders' discussions but may not be included in the
end-of-summit statement because of ASEAN's policy of non-
interference in members' internal affairs.
Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Boymkeuth Sangsomsack told the
senior officials on Thursday that all 35 documents would be
approved at the summit or at ministerial meetings that start on
Saturday.
They include accords aimed at improving economic and trade
relations with China, India, Japan and South Korea and and
intensifying the fight against terrorism and measures to combat
the trafficking of women and children.
A draft of the statement to be issued at the end of a summit
involving ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea said the leaders
would restate "their determination to intensify joint efforts to
fighting terrorism in East Asia".
A draft of the statement to be issued by the 13 leaders said
they would reiterate their "commitment to support global efforts
to fight international terrorism".
They would also express concern about various international
challenges, such as the continued violence in Iraq and
developments in the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula, the
draft said.
And they would call for six-nation talks on persuading North
Korea to drop its nuclear arms program to be "reconvened at the
earliest possibility".
A separate statement from the ASEAN leaders alone will call
for a greater UN role in rebuilding Iraq and trying to achieve
peace and security there.
"We noted that the current developments in Iraq and the Middle
East remained cause for great concern," the draft said.
On economic cooperation, the leaders are expected to welcome
measures on removing tariff and non-tariff barriers, aimed at
realizing their goal of establishing a European Union-style
single market by 2020.
ASEAN leaders will also hold separate meetings with their
counterparts from India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New
Zealand to discuss bilateral concerns.
ASEAN and Japan are expected to issue a declaration on
enhancing cooperation in fighting terrorism and agreeing to
launch negotiations for a "closer economic partnership" agreement
by 2005, with the talks to be completed within two years.
The leaders of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand are expected
to announce the start of talks for a free trade agreement to be
fully implemented in 10 years. The agreement will allow for
flexibility in the participation of ASEAN's less developed
members -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
The other ASEAN members are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
The combined gross domestic product (GDP) of ASEAN plus
Australia and New Zealand is estimated at US$1.269 trillion,
close to China's GDP of $1.437 trillion.