ASEAN unity vital: Soeharto

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has called on ASEAN to remain united in the face of liberalized global trade.

"If Southeast Asian nations are unable to remain united, we will lose the available opportunities," Soeharto said in his opening address at the first ASEAN Business Summit.

He said the two-day summit would further promote cooperation between ASEAN's business communities and help prepare for ASEAN free trade in 2003.

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

Soeharto said ASEAN's location and its abundant economic resources made it a strategic production base.

"I am sure that by capitalizing on existing potential ASEAN will become one region with high economic growth in the coming decades," he said.

Soeharto said that with strong ASEAN economic growth there would be a rapid increase in demand for capital goods which were imported mostly from outside the region.

Soeharto said ASEAN governments and businesses should cooperate with each other and with other nations to develop a capital goods industry.

The summit was attended by about 700 people from ASEAN and its major trading partners like the United States, Europe and Australia. Scores of ministers and senior officials are taking part in the summit.

He urged ASEAN businessmen to further promote small and medium enterprises so they become an essential part of ASEAN industry.

"When we succeed in promoting the potential of these small and medium enterprises, it will stimulate the public to take a more active part in our region's various economic activities," he said.

He said the concrete support of ASEAN business was needed to develop cooperation for the sub-regional growth triangles agreed upon at the fifth ASEAN summit in Bangkok.

The sub-regional growth triangles are the Indonesia-Malaysia- Singapore triangle, the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand triangle, and the East ASEAN growth area covering Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Soeharto said Indonesia had taken the initiative in sub- regional economic cooperation with the Australia-Indonesia Development Area covering Bali and other eastern Indonesian provinces and Australia.

"We all hope that ASEAN's business communities continue to enhance the efficiency of economic sectors such as industry, agriculture and services," he said.

He said the business community had been involved in all efforts and would continue to be a reliable government partner providing initiatives and perspectives on future opportunities.

He said that when ASEAN expanded, economic potential would be even bigger.

"ASEAN has enjoyed a period of high economic growth and rapid development. It will continue to move forward with a view to creating a better life for the whole of ASEAN, particularly in the run-up to the implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area in 2003 and the liberalization of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade in 2010 and 2020," he said. (bnt)

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