Vietnam's admission to ASEAN seen as good opportunity

Vietnam's admission to ASEAN seen as good opportunity

HANOI (AFP): Vietnam's admission to the Association of South
East Asian Nations at the end of this week provides "an
opportunity but also constitutes a challenge," for Vietnamese
businessmen, Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam said yesterday.

Speaking a few days before leaving for the ASEAN ministers'
meeting in Brunei, Cam told a press conference: "The level of
economic development in Vietnam is lower (than in other ASEAN
members).

"That requires Vietnamese businessmen to increase their
activity and skill in order to be able to catch up with other
partners in ASEAN."

Cam said Vietnam's rapid admission to the regional forum was
"a very logical development in relations between Vietnam and each
member of ASEAN," -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand.

He said there was an "increasing interdependence among
nations," and that "if one country wants to develop itself it has
to integrate itself either into the regional community or into
the world community".

Vietnam has began negotiating its entry into the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and also hopes to join the Asia Pacific
Economic forum (APEC).

"I am sure Vietnam joining (ASEAN) will accelerate the process
of its participation in these two organizations," the minister
said.

"The previous decades have witnessed ups and downs ... there
was even a period of confrontation" among nations of South East
Asia, Cam said.

"Now circumstances in the region have shifted and many
countries are trying through cooperation to develop themselves
and to develop the entire region," he said.

Cam is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with a number of
his ASEAN counterparts at the meeting.

The ASEAN was formed in 1967 as a pro-western rampart against
communism at the height of the Vietnam War.

Cam indicated he may also meet U.S. Secretary of State Warren
Christopher, who will also be in Brunei, to discuss Christopher's
historic visit to Hanoi in early August, following the
normalization of relations between the U.S. and Vietnam,
announced earlier this month.

Vietnam is gearing up to join the ASEAN free trade area, AFTA,
on Jan. 1, 1996, but will enjoy a three-year honeymoon before
being obliged to lower certain trade tariffs. Vietnam is also to
conduct major tax reforms to make its system more compatible with
its ASEAN partners.

"The question of the time-table when Vietnam will fully join
the AFTA as well as the question of tax reduction are the subject
of discussion between Vietnam and other ASEAN members," the
minister said.

Cam said the regional argument over the Spratlys islands --
claimed in whole or in part by six countries in the region
including three ASEAN members -- and the Paracels, disputed by
Vietnam and China, "cannot be resolved overnight," adding "it is
necessary to avoid using force or threat of using it".

Experts have said, however, that with Vietnam a full member,
ASEAN should nevertheless try to adopt a common position on the
disputed Spratlys.

Cam reassured that Vietnam will be able to fully meet its
obligations and requirements as a full member of ASEAN.

The regional forum holds some 200 meetings a year, which may
prove to be a tall order for Vietnam both in terms of
organizational and cost commitments.