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.