Japan backs Australian, NZ and Indian bids for summit
Japan backs Australian, NZ and Indian bids for summit
Agence France-Presse, Singapore
Japan said in Singapore on Tuesday it supports bids by Australia, New Zealand and India to join an inaugural East Asia Summit in Malaysia later this year, as well as possible observer status by the United States.
Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima said the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their ASEAN Plus 3 counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea should discuss the issue when they meet in Laos later this month.
The discussions should focus on the "actual modality" and the agenda for the meeting, Takashima told reporters in Singapore at the end of a one-day visit by Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura.
Machimura met with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean and Foreign Minister George Yeo during his whirlwind stopover here.
Both Machimura and Yeo agreed that Australia, New Zealand and India should participate in the summit to be held in Malaysia in December involving prime ministers and presidents, Takashima said.
"The two foreign ministers had the same view that not only India's participation, but also Australians' and New Zealanders' participation would be very probable and they both expect that ASEAN Plus Six would be the first members of the East Asian Summit meeting," he said.
ASEAN Plus 6 refers to ASEAN's 10 members plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand.
Takashima also said Japan supports "some sort of observer status" by the United States at the summit if other members accept it.
Australia's participation is seen as the most contentious because it has yet to sign an ASEAN non-aggression pact which the grouping has laid down as a precondition to its attendance at the summit.
A Malaysian official said last week the Southeast Asian foreign ministers will decide whether Australia will attend the summit when they meet in Laos.
ASEAN has called on Canberra to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation after Prime Minister John Howard last year raised the possibility of Australia launching pre-emptive strikes against terrorist bases throughout the region.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Australia would sign the treaty as long as it did not interfere with other alliances, including Canberra's military ties with the United States.
The meeting of the East Asian foreign ministers in Laos is part of the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.