Cambodian PM calls for increased cooperation in ASEAN, vows

Cambodian PM calls for increased cooperation in ASEAN, vows stability

Jason Gutierrez Agence France-Presse Phnom Penh

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday called for increased Southeast Asian economic integration and assured trade ministers from the region his country is on the road to stability.

In a speech to formally open an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic ministers meeting here, Hun Sen said he is confident of forming a new government following hotly contested polls.

Cambodia is already moving to ease political infighting, Hun Sen said, adding that he is confident of heading into a third term despite his party lacking an outright majority in parliament.

"With the national elections completed in good order, we in Cambodia now need to renew and intensify our efforts to execute our economic policy agenda," the premier said.

The three-day talks are expected to focus on work to speed up the creation of the "ASEAN economic community", which was first broached in a leader's summit Phnom Penh last year, officials said.

The AEC is envisioned to be set up by 2020, forming a common market of 530 million people where tariffs would be totally eliminated and factors of production such as labor and capital allowed to move freely across boundaries.

Hun Sen said that trade ministers have been studying proposals and initiatives that would eventually lead to the realization of the AEC.

"I personally believe that these are very important and promising initiatives and we should all look forward to the presentation of the findings and recommendations at the 9th ASEAN Summit next month in Bali," the Cambodian leader told the trade ministers.

He noted that ASEAN countries possess "immense potential" and further integration of their economies could "maximize the employment of resources and generate sustained benefits for our people."

Cambodia's Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh said it was hoped that the meetings here would "produce some substantial deliverables" that would in turn be presented to ASEAN leaders next month.

"Also in the next few days, we will be meeting with our counterparts from our major trading partners including Australia, China, India, Japan, (South) Korea and New Zealand to explore ways and means to further deepen and strengthen existing economic cooperation," he said.

ASEAN is developing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with India, Japan, South Korea and the United States, and working with China to create the world's largest free trade zone within 10 years covering 1.7 billion consumers.

Officials said the ASEAN ministers could also seek support from the group's trade partners to forge a common position in the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meetings in Cancun, Mexico.

An Australian official on Monday said his country would use the ASEAN talks here to build a consensus with Southeast Asian nations on farm trade.

Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said he would brief ASEAN counterparts on his government's disappointment with a recent joint United States-European Union position paper on agriculture which will be a key part of the WTO negotiations.