Summit to discuss ASEAN single market, Thailand, Myanmar

Summit to discuss ASEAN single market, Thailand, Myanmar

Martin Abbugao, Agence France-Presse, Vientiane

Accelerating regional economic integration, unrest in
Thailand, terrorism and Myanmar's political problems are expected
to dominate the annual summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Laos.

Senior Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
officials will kick off talks in the Laotian capital of Vientiane
on Wednesday, followed by a gathering of their foreign ministers
on Saturday and a two-day leaders' summit from November 29.

Southeast Asian government officials who will attend the
summit told AFP that a push to accelerate a 2020 timetable for
ASEAN to establish a European Union-style single market would be
a key topic of discussion for the leaders.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Thai Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are leading the call for an earlier
deadline, saying 2020 is too far away, although the less
developed ASEAN nations are more reluctant.

The ASEAN leaders will be joined at their summit by their
counterparts from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and
New Zealand, as the Southeast Asian bloc seeks to pursue closer
economic ties throughout the Asia-Pacific.

"The Vientiane summit will put across ASEAN's drive to remain
focused on promoting ASEAN's economic integration and on building
common economic space within East Asia," ASEAN Secretariat
spokesman M.C. Abad told AFP.

ASEAN is already negotiating separate free-trade agreements
with China, Japan and India to be completed within 10 years, and
South Korea, which has dithered on such a pact, also now wants to
hitch onto the bandwagon.

South Korea is expected to sign a comprehensive cooperation
partnership joint declaration with ASEAN to establish a free
trade area within 10 years or earlier, according to a Southeast
Asian source who asked not to be named.

ASEAN is also expected to discuss with Australia and New
Zealand plans to elevate their current "closer economic
partnership" into a free-trade pact that would be implemented
within 10 years, added the source.

The accord is important because the combined gross domestic
product of Australia and New Zealand is estimated at US$1.3
trillion, not far off China's $1.4 trillion, he said.

To speed up economic integration within ASEAN itself, the
leaders are expected to endorse an agreement reached by their
finance ministers in September to remove trade barriers in 11
priority sectors.

These are: air travel, auto, electronics, fisheries, agro-
based products, healthcare, information and communications
technology, rubber, textiles and clothing, tourism and wood
products.

Concrete developments are also expected in the ASEAN-China
free trade accord currently under negotiations, with ASEAN and
Chinese leaders expected to sign an agreement to liberalize trade
in goods.

This is the first component in the negotiating process leading
to an overall pact, the other chapter being opening up the
services sector.

The ASEAN-China FTA promises to create the world's biggest
free-trade bloc of nearly two billion people.

While officially not on the agenda, the violence in Thailand's
restive southern Muslim provinces that has left nearly 550 people
dead this year is also expected to be raised.

Analysts expect Bangkok to escape rebuke due to ASEAN's policy
of non-interference in members' internal affairs, although
Thaksin may feel obliged to explain to his counterparts the
problems in the south.

"It is not on the agenda. But there is a practice in ASEAN to
give voluntary briefings on issues of interest to most members,"
the ASEAN source said.

Myanmar's military rule will also undoubtedly be a topic of
discussion, following last month's leadership shake-up that saw
prime minister Khin Nyunt placed under house arrest and replaced
by Lieutenant General Soe Win.

With Soe Win regarded as a military hardliner, his briefings
to his ASEAN counterparts on Myanmar's so-called "roadmap for
democracy" will be eagerly awaited.

"He and his foreign minister will face some hard questions,
for sure," a senior Southeast Asian diplomat said.

Terrorism will also be a key talking point, with ASEAN and
Japan expected to adopt a joint declaration for cooperation in
counter-terrorism.

The declaration will cover exchange of information on the
activities of terrorist groups and law enforcement cooperation,
including through extradition and mutual assistance in
prosecution of terrorists, an ASEAN source said.

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