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.