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.