Vietnam backs Australian bid for East Asia Summit
Vietnam backs Australian bid for East Asia Summit
Michelle Nichols, Reuters/Canberra
Australia continues to canvass support for its inclusion in a summit of east Asian countries with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai on Thursday backing Canberra's push for more acceptance in the region.
Vietnam joined Indonesia and Singapore in publicly declaring support for Australia joining a new East Asia Summit, due to meet in Malaysia for the first time in December. China and Malaysia have been cool on the idea.
During a visit to Canberra, Khai said he would attempt to convince other members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to support Australia's involvement in the summit, created in 2004 by ASEAN plus South Korea, China and Japan.
ASEAN comprises Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia and Cambodia.
"We always highly appreciate the role played by Australia in the region and the world. Therefore, Australia should participate in such a summit meeting and should have an important voice in that forum," Khai told reporters through an interpreter.
"As a coordinator in the ASEAN-Australia dialog partnership we will work actively with other ASEAN member countries for this effort," Khai said during a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Howard, in turn, said Australia would back Vietnam's push to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"Australia supports Vietnam's accession to the WTO and, subject to agreement on some outstanding matters, it will be possible for a bilateral understanding regarding that accession to be concluded between Australia and Vietnam," he said.
Vietnam has to conclude individual market access agreements with each of the 148 WTO members, as well as an overall agreement on intellectual property rights, to gain entry. Talks have been tough and negotiations with 21 members have yet to be concluded.
A group of about 100 Vietnamese staged a rowdy protest outside Australia's parliament house as Khai arrived, charging his administration with human rights abuses and corruption.
The protesters waved yellow and red flags of the former South Vietnam and banners demanding "Democracy for Vietnam", "Freedom for Vietnam" and "Transparency", and called for religious and political freedom.
ASEAN has said Australia and New Zealand could only join the East Asia Summit if they sign a regional non-aggression treaty.
Howard last year rejected such a treaty as unnecessary and outdated, but has since softened his stance and said Canberra would negotiate to sign the pact in order to join the East Asia Summit.
But when Khai was asked if Australia should have to sign the pact in order to join the summit, he replied: "I don't think so. These are two separate issues".