KL wants limited EU-Asia meeting

KL wants limited EU-Asia meeting

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad wants an Asia-Europe leaders summit (ASEM) limited to
Southeast and East Asia and European Union (EU) countries for the
moment, the Sunday Star newspaper reported.

The Prime Minister was quoted as saying that expansion at this
stage would prevent a "constructive dialog" between the leaders
of the two continents.

"If it becomes too big and confusing, there will be many
conflicting interests and we cannot have a real dialog. It will
become confused and nothing can be achieved," the Star quoted
Mahathir as saying to reporters on Saturday night.

ASEM will group 15 EU countries, the seven members of the
Association of South East Asian Nations, Japan, South Korea and
China at a Bangkok summit from March 1-2. It will be the first
between leaders of the 10 East Asian nations and the 15-member
EU.