ASEAN to seek statement on crisis

ASEAN to seek statement on crisis

NASUGBU, Philippines (AFP): The Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) will seek a special leaders' statement at a
London meeting urging other nations to do more to address the
regional currency crisis, an official said here Monday.

The move was agreed at a meeting of senior ASEAN officers
outside Manila, Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Lauro Baja
said.

The special statement would be separate from the final
statement from the Asia-Europe-Meeting (ASEM) which opens on
April 2 to be issued by the meeting's chairman, British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, Baja said.

It would likely call on developed countries to "make efforts
to restore confidence" in the region and to open up their markets
and provide bank and credit facilities to the crisis-hit
countries as well, Baja said.

The United States, Japan and Europe would be urged to come up
with tangible measures to help the affected countries.