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.