Ministers to discuss free trade

Ministers to discuss free trade

BANGKOK (AP): Economic ministers of the 10-member Association
of Southeast Asian Nations will meet in Thailand during Oct. 2-7
to discuss issues including the group's plans for a free trade
area, the state Thai News Agency reported on Thursday.

The 32-nd ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting, to be held in the
northern province of Chiang Mai, will discuss the ASEAN Free
Trade Area, or AFTA, a draft pact on e-commerce and a proposed
free trade agreement between Asean and Australia and New Zealand.

Representatives of the European Commission will attend the
economic minister's meeting for the first time, for talks on
expanding trade and investment and eliminating trade barriers
between the two trade blocks, the TNA reported.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Under AFTA's free-trade plan, six of the 10 Asean members have
agreed to cut tariffs on a list of manufactured and agricultural
products to between zero and 5 percent by 2002.

In a move seen as clearing a key obstacle to AFTA but casting
doubts over ASEAN's resolve in setting up a free trade block,
trade ministers agreed in May that Malaysia could extend
protection of its car industry to 2005.

Malaysia says it needed a delay, saying it needs more time to
rehabilitate the industry after being hurt by the Asian economic
crisis.