NAFTA, ASEAN discuss trade links

NAFTA, ASEAN discuss trade links

OSAKA, Japan (Reuter): North America and Southeast Asia are
discussing possible future linkages between their two regional
free trade areas, United States Trade Representative Mickey
Kantor said yesterday.

He told reporters after meeting economic ministers from the
seven-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that
discussions focused on a "potential informal dialog" between the
two groupings.

The U.S., along with Mexico and Canada, is part of the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

ASEAN -- which groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- plans to have its
ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in place by the year 2003.

"We had a very good and productive meeting with some very
important ideas discussed," Kantor said. "And I'm delighted with
both the tone and the substance of the meeting.

"We talked about the attempt to put together an informal
dialog between the two (free trade areas), which I think would be
helpful and productive."

Kantor declined to give more details about potential linkages
between the two groups, saying he first had to consult his
counterparts from Mexico and Canada in NAFTA.

Leaders of ASEAN and NAFTA were in Osaka yesterday to attend
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.