U.S. declares 'shared goals' in ASEAN growth

By Oei Eng Goan and Meidyatama Suryodiningrat

SINGAPORE (JP): The United States is equally interested in the security of the Asia-Pacific and the region's growth and leadership in its drive for a more open, stable and dynamic global economy, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said on Monday.

Albright said Washington was pleased to work with countries in the region on those two areas and to support the initiatives of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to achieve "our shared goals".

"The United States has done its part by joining forces with the World Bank and the IMF to provide financing needed to support reform and to address basic humanitarian needs," she said, adding that Washington kept its markets open to Asian exports to help the region's industries get back on their feet.

Albright's statement was issued on the sidelines of the one- day sixth ASEAN Regional Forum, which was attended by foreign ministers from all 10 ASEAN member countries and its dialog partners.

Set up in 1967 for economic and political cooperation, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The grouping's dialog partners comprise Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States.

Albright warned, however, that despite signs of economic recovery in the region, the work of reform was not yet complete and that Asia-Pacific countries should stay focused on banking reforms and corporate restructuring.

She also encouraged governments and businesses across the region to continue to build stronger capital markets, and promote broad-based growth while reducing unemployment and meeting basic human needs.

Underlining Washington's commitment to continue to help the region's economic recovery, Albright said her government had developed other programs, such as the Accelerating Economic Recovery in Asia Initiative (AERA) to help Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

"We have observed with hope and respect the progress Indonesia has made in conducting free and fair elections, and broadening political participation. And we have strongly supported Thailand as it responded to financial difficulties while bolstering its commitment to democratic values," the secretary of state explained.

AERA, assisted by American businesses, is designed to help the banking and legal systems in those countries, as well as improve their human resources in coping with the rapid progress and development of science and technology.

"We also want to work with ASEAN and its members to foster public-private partnerships that support agriculture, sustainable forestry, rural development and poverty eradication."

Noting that a strong and growing global economy was the best guarantee of prosperity and stability in the region, she said Washington hoped the ASEAN member countries would take the lead in building the momentum for the World Trade Organization's (WTO) ministerial meeting in Seattle.

The Seattle meeting, scheduled for November, this year, is expected to endorse a new trade round and to move forward on the Accelerated Tariff Liberalization package as well as the trade agenda of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum.

Touching on the WTO, Albright also said the United States would continue to work for the entry of China into the organization on commercially viable terms.