Global News Post: ASEAN

ASEAN Leaders Disagree Over South China Sea Disputes

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Southeast
Asian leaders meeting at a regional summit in the Cambodian capital of <st1:city w:st="on">Phnom Penh</st1:city> are once again disagreeing over the contentious
issue of territorial disputes in the <st1:place w:st="on">South China Sea</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As
leaders wrapped up their final day of the East Asia and ASEAN summit on
Tuesday, the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region>
objected to a draft statement saying all sides have agreed to not
internationalize the disputes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Philippines
Foreign Minister Albert <st1:state w:st="on">del</st1:state> Rosario said no
consensus has been reached on the issue, contrary to the draft circulated by <st1:country-region w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:country-region>, the current ASEAN chair and a close
ally of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Consensus
means everybody, OK? I was there, the president was there," said del
Rosario. "How can they say there was consensus when we're saying there was
no consensus?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
squabble was reminiscent of an ASEAN meeting in July, when the 10-member bloc
could not agree on a joint statement for the first time in its history because
of objections by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
which did not want to mention discussions of the dispute.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">China</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">, which claims almost all of the energy-rich
sea, does not want ASEAN involvement in negotiating or discussing the disputes.
It instead prefers dealing individually with its much weaker rival claimants,
including the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Philippines</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region> and
others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite
objections from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
U.S. President Barack Obama raised the issue Tuesday during closed-door
sessions of the summit. There were no indications about possible progress on
the issue, though most observers expected very little.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But
Southeast Asia analyst Don Emmerson of Stanford University tells VOA he thinks
China is slowly opening up to the idea of de facto negotiations with ASEAN.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"If
[China is] not careful, their insistence on bilateral negotiations only with
the four Southeast Asian countries may create an excuse for the expansion of
the group of folks around the table, even possibly to include the United
States," says Emmerson. "To avoid that outcome, they're settling for
a middle position that is: let's negotiate with ASEAN."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ASEAN
Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan downplayed the disagreement between the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Philippines</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:place></st1:country-region> on Tuesday, telling
reporters that regional leaders remain focused on solving other pursuits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I
think it's a matter of interpretation," Pitsuwan. "As far as I'm
concerned, there is a consensus that we would like to pursue the issue without
having it affecting other constructive, other positive momentum that we are
trying to create."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Those
pursuits include several economic issues, such as the proposed creation of a
massive free trade pact between <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">South Korea</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Meanwhile, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">South Korea</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> are holding talks on a
separate three-way free trade agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
Sunday, ASEAN leaders adopted a non-binding declaration they say will guarantee
human rights protections for the population of the region. But rights groups
say the declaration contains loopholes that could allow authoritarian
governments such at <st1:country-region w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:country-region>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Laos</st1:country-region></st1:place>
to skirt the agreement. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ASEAN Leaders Disagree Over South China Sea Disputes

Southeast Asian leaders meeting at a regional summit in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh are once again disagreeing over the cont...

ASEAN Leaders Agree to 12-Month Extension of Deadline for Regional Integration

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">An
NNN-Xinhua Special Report<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PHNOM PENH</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-XINHUA) -- Leaders of the Association
of South East Asian Nations (Asean) have agreed to extend the deadline to
realize economic, political and social integration among the 10 countries to
the end of 2015 from the originally-envisioned Jan 1, 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
extended timeframe, coming amidst increasing pressure on <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>
as the global economy wobbles, reflects sober assessment by the Asean leaders
and underlines the urgent need for the body to forge closer partnerships with
neighbouring countries so as to achieve the ambitious goal on time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
its 45 years of development, Asean has been aspiring to become an integrated
community for a greater say on the world stage, with a practical role model of
the European Union.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite
the remarkable progress achieved in the past decade in boosting its
international profile and internal unity, Asean is still seen as facing an
uphill battle in its integration endeavours, based on factors such as the vast
development gaps, the actual implementation of signed documents and the
existence of conflicting political interests among the member States.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Undaunted
by these challenges, however, Asean decision-makers have engaged their
counterparts from around the bloc in co-operation talks. The biannual Asean
Summit and related platforms including the "10 3" summit between
Asean and North East Asian partners China, Japan and South Korea are now
capturing attention beyond Asia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Leaders
of both Asean and six key Asia Pacific powers, including <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">South Korea</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
will kick-start negotiations of a broad free trade zone during the on-going
Asean summit and related meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
so-called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), if realized,
would cover half of the world's population and further cement a shift in global
economic power from the West towards <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It
is really an opportune moment for Asean to ride the tidal wave of <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>'s resurgence and bolster its significance by forging
closer ties from within and with bigger players on the continent as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
further liberalizing the market, Asean will enjoy better efficiency in overall
development, particularly in the elimination of economic disparities that have
bothered the grouping for a long time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By
pooling more resources to tackle common challenges, the bloc will be better
positioned to fend off both internal and external risks, as shown by the
example of the Chiang Mai Initiative, under which Asean plus <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>
built themselves a war chest of 240 billion USD to tackle international foreign
exchange issues affecting them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">And
most important of all, some Asean countries have to set aside controversial
issues such as territorial disputes and have faith in dialogue and peaceful
negotiation to build mutual trust. Otherwise, the hard-won regional stability
would be jeopardized and Asean integration a never-fulfilled dream. --
NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ASEAN Leaders Agree to 12-Month Extension of Deadline for Regional Integration

An NNN-Xinhua Special Report PHNOM PENH (NNN-XINHUA) -- Leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) have agre...

Indian PM Arrives In Cambodian Capital for India-ASEAN Summit

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PHNOM PENH</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">
(NNN-UNI) -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in the Cambodian capital
this afternoon for deepening <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
'Look East' policy by widening free trade agreement with the ten-nation bloc of
Association of South East Asian Nations during the 10th India-Asean summit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">During
his three-day visit, he will also participate in the 7th East Asia summit (EAS)
which is being attended by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>
president Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jibao too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Whether
his bilateral meetings with both the leaders on the sidelines of the EAS summit
have been firmed up would be known later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Among
other issues, maritime security in the east Asian region,which sees an annual
traffic of 50,000 ships, is likely to be high on the EAS's agenda. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dr Singh
has been keen to widen the scope of FTA with Asean, by including agreements on
services and investment, besides trade which in 2011-12 was worth 79 billion
dollars. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">After
the 2009 FTA became operational in August 2011, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and Asean have been
negotiating for expanding its ambit to services and investments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It is
significant that Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma is with the Prime
Minister to lend support to his trade agenda. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">National
Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Prime Minister's Principal Secretary
Pulok Chatterji will be assisting the PM during parleys with Asean leaders and
EAS' participants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Prime Minister headed Trade and Economic Relations Committee (TERC), in a
meeting held in <st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city> on November 2, had
directed officials to conclude agreements for further opening of commerce with
the Asean which groups <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brunei</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Laos</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Myanmar</st1:country-region>, the <st1:country-region w:st="on">Philippines</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:country-region></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
trade-related panel held the view that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> should aim to conclude this
agreement before the India-Asean summit being held in the Cambodian capital on
Monday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Now that
Mr Sharma is with Dr Singh, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>
will pitch for widening the existing FTA with the Asean beyond goods to
investment and services. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Services
are of importance to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>
as they contribute over 55 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product
(GDP). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">After
implementing FTA in goods in August 2011, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the 10-nation bloc have
been engaged in negotiations to widen the pact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> wants service sector to be liberalised by
removal of all the non-tariff barriers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is also trying to broadbase bilateral trade
pact with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Thailand</st1:place></st1:country-region>
which is currently limited to 82 items. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Prime Minister, in the event of his bilateral meeting with his Thai counterpart
Yingluck Shinawatra,is also likely to push for it, sources said.--NNN-UNI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Indian PM Arrives In Cambodian Capital for India-ASEAN Summit

PHNOM PENH (NNN-UNI) -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in the Cambodian capital this afternoon for deepening India 's '...

ASEAN Leaders Adopt ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

ASEAN Leaders Adopt ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

By Jamaluddin Muhammad PHNOM PENH , Cambodia (NNN- Bernama) -- Asean leaders today adopted the Asean Human Rights Declaratio...

ASEAN Must Form AEC by 2015 to Sustain Dynamism: Malaysia

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">SINGAPORE
(NNN-Bernama) -- For Asean to sustain its dynamism, it must be able to deliver
on its promises to establish an economic community by 2015, says Malaysian
Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite
the global challenges, he said, Asean has continued to work on building the
Asean Economic Community (AEC).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Over
80 per cent of the economic measures under Phases 1 and 2 of the AEC Blueprint
for the period of 2008-2011 have been successfully implemented.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The
Asean Comprehensive Agreement was entered into force in March this year, while
the Customs Act has been revised and has entered into force. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Rules
and regulations continue to be simplified to reduce the cost of doing business
in the region," he said in his speech at the Boston University Asian
Alumni Business Forum at Marina Bay Sands here Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">His
speech was read by his deputy, Mukhriz Mahathir.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mustapa
said there are challenges and these are being openly discussed by the Asean
Economic Ministers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Consultations
are being intensified with various stakeholders nationally as well as
regionally. The inputs and views of the private sector have been useful to the
policy makers in making changes to the rules and regulations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
addition to developments within Asean, the minister called on the private
sector and other stakeholders to look at the role of Asean in a broader
perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I
am saying this as Asean has been pragmatic in its economic engagements with
major trading partners," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mustapa
noted that Asean has free trade agreements (FTAs) with all the East Asian countries,
while its economic engagement with the European Union, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region> are being deepened and new
initiatives are being formulated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He
said there are on-going discussions between Asean and its FTA partners to form
a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which will bind together <st1:city w:st="on">Asean</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Korea</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:place></st1:country-region> in
a single economic agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mustapa
said the leaders of Asean and its FTA partners will be meeting in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Phnom Penh</st1:place></st1:city> later this
month to discuss this proposal. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ASEAN Must Form AEC by 2015 to Sustain Dynamism: Malaysia

SINGAPORE (NNN-Bernama) -- For Asean to sustain its dynamism, it must be able to deliver on its promises to establish an economic...

ASEAN Economic Growth Set To Be At Par with China and India By 2015

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">SINGAPORE (NNN-Bernama) -- Come 2015, when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) is ready, the region's economic growth will be at par with China and India, says Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Noting that the grouping has a bright future, Mustapa said: "We've to reform and achieve more by being more competitive and be looked at as a very productive production-based. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We're gradually evolving into a single market. By 2015, when the Asean Economic Community is ready, I believe and I'm convinced, Asean will be a more competitive and most dynamic region in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"In my view, in terms of economic potential and future, Asean has the similar growth potential as China and India," he said in his keynote address entitled "Dynamic Leadership and Sustainable Economic Development of Malaysia Vision 2020" at the 2012 Annual Asia Competitiveness Institute Conference here today. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The minister also participated in a question-and-answer session moderated by the Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) School Dean, Prof Kishore Mahbubani, after the keynote address. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The conference was jointly hosted by the Asia Competitiveness Institute (ACI) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School) and National University of Singapore. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also present was Malaysia's High Commissioner to Singapore Md Hussin Nayan. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Speaking to Bernama later, Mustapa said Asean ministers have been putting a lot of effort towards realising AEC. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He said Asean has to continue pushing for a set of uniform regulations such as for cross-border movement of goods which is still a problem in some member countries. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We've been talking about that and what's important is that, in Asean, we're very frank, we share all the issues and what are the problems (at hand)," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mustapa said the AEM was established to protect Asean citizens and ease their fear of their business being "swallowed" by foreigners. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"This is why we've to develop the Asean Economic Community in 2015, hopefully with the AEC, there will be a greater Asean, we think as one. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"When we think as one, hopefully, the border issues, tariff barriers and connectivity will be reduced to take us (Asean) to the next level. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"By putting their houses in order in the midst of preparations for the AEC, Asean is going to be a big magnet for investors and visitors as it is ready. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"By that time, we'll be able to compete even more with countries like China and India," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As a group, Mustapa said: "Our population is more than 600 million people compared to China and India which have 1.2 billion and 1.1 billion, respectively. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"In terms of GDP (gross domestic product), we're two trillion of the GDP in Asean," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With the growth in 2015, "our market will become bigger," the minister said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mustapa said the growing middle-class in all the Asean countries was important for the market. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"It's a good base (but) we still have to do a lot more," he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The ACI conference was attended by about 250 participants, mainly leading academicians, private sector and government officials from Singapore and various countries including senior representatives from 33 Indonesian provinces. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Leading speakers at the conference include Tharman Shanmugam, the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, who is also the Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower and Gita Wirjawan, Indonesia's Minister of Trade. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Malaysia's participation in this conference helped promote the government's inititiaves to attract investments and to share the best practices with other countries in the region, both public and private sectors, that would help propel Malaysia to become a high income economy by 2020. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the sidelines of the conference, Mustapa also had one-to-one meetings with various chief executive officers of Major Singaporean and multinational companies to promote trade and investment in Malaysia. -- NNN-BERNAMA <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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ASEAN Economic Growth Set To Be At Par with China and India By 2015

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE (NNN-Bernama) -- Come 2015, when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) is ready, the regio...

ASEAN Calls for Lifting Of Sanctions against Myanmar

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG17uj3Mo1JkaynhWYDfCkQ7PFaVAUkHyEkJn4lZPxElvHGOa6imlGPcMyYnaQJYayV4mat7gPctjkhWOwvQkdYOivXCcQQ_Ps3FwK0XHR4WlZhxEOdKVQ5I0DIPeTHoST8efUCnUVGc/s1600/2012040313212311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG17uj3Mo1JkaynhWYDfCkQ7PFaVAUkHyEkJn4lZPxElvHGOa6imlGPcMyYnaQJYayV4mat7gPctjkhWOwvQkdYOivXCcQQ_Ps3FwK0XHR4WlZhxEOdKVQ5I0DIPeTHoST8efUCnUVGc/s640/2012040313212311.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen welcomes ASEAN heads of state as he opens the 20th ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh April 3, 2012. Myanmar’s just-concluded elections, N.Korea’s planned rocket launch and the long-broiling disputes over the South China Sea are expected to top the agenda in the two-day summit, hosted by Cambodia as the head of ASEAN, taking over the chair from Indonesia. The summit's main agenda is its goal of becoming a EU-like bloc by 2015. Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said the group is ''on track" to meet the deadline. The summit will also discuss topics on the Declaration of Phnom Penh "Asean: One Community, One Goal" that include efforts to realise a Drug Free Asean 2015 and the Global Moderation Movement. Photo courtesy kanharith khieu---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">JAKARTA (NNN-BERNAMA) -- In welcoming Myanmar's fair and orderly by-elections on April 1, Asean has called for the lifting of sanctions against the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The call was made by Asean Chair, Cambodia, according to a statement by the Asean Secretariat on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We urge the international community to consider lifting economic sanctions on Myanmar so that the people of Myanmar can enjoy better opportunities in realising their aspirations for peace, national reconciliation, democracy and national development," said Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hor said the election process was a step forward towards democratisation, and a positive step.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Myanmar held its landmark by-elections on April 1, witnessed by hundreds of international observers, as well as reporters, the world over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan said the secretariat was encouraged by the way the by-elections were conducted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"This is only the first step of a long journey. We want to see Myanmar succeed in this quest, and the Asean family is firmly behind Myanmar, and we are ever ready to share our experiences, and support Myanmar's rebuilding and reconciliation efforts," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Asean Secretariat responded to Myanmar's invitation to send a five-member observer team, which spent five days in the country talking to voters, government and party officials from the ruling, opposition and independent camps.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The team also consulted with the United Nations and the European Union missions and the media, as well as Asean member states which responded to Myanmar's call to observe the election.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The team was divided into two -- one deployed in Mandalay and the other in the Yangon region. Team leader Dr Mely Anthony, frequently reported findings to the Asean secretary-general who is supportive of the people of Myanmar and the country's steps towards reconciliation. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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ASEAN Calls for Lifting Of Sanctions against Myanmar

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen welcomes ASEAN heads of state as he opens the 20th ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh April 3, 2012. Myanmar’s j...

India Signs MoU on Tourism with ASEAN

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi917gnFdmCyLOgMd_mfoasmdLqZUK0mNuWApMpYyDDJdUlREVIcFnoJ8fCJ1oe7jwnZlmt0VQI4C_uPOuzcxGKpY_kT_Vj3bDWNT2KZSQHyzDAq6oSoft_yW5irkGAfFSg0ORZM9fdI4/s1600/l2012011338611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi917gnFdmCyLOgMd_mfoasmdLqZUK0mNuWApMpYyDDJdUlREVIcFnoJ8fCJ1oe7jwnZlmt0VQI4C_uPOuzcxGKpY_kT_Vj3bDWNT2KZSQHyzDAq6oSoft_yW5irkGAfFSg0ORZM9fdI4/s640/l2012011338611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">The Union Tourism Minister, Subodh Kant Sahai at the conference of Tourism Ministers of <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;">ASEAN countries, at Manado, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region></st1:place> on January 12, 2012.Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">Manado</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"> (PIB) --- The </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">Union Tourism </span><span style="background: white;">Minister Subodh</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> Kant Sahai has said that MoU </span><span style="background: white;">between <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> and </span><span style="background: white;">ASEAN would</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> serve as the key instrument for more action oriented cooperation, encouraging both parties to cooperate in facilitating travel and tourist visit and further strengthening the close tourism </span><span style="background: white;">partnership. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">Sahai was speaking after the signing of MoU at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Manado</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region></st1:place> yesterday.</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">The Tourism Minister expressed his happiness towards the progress made in the implementation of the work plan for the development of ASEAN-India cooperation in Buddhist pilgrimage tourism including the production and promotion of materials and documentary films on Buddhist pilgrimage in ASEAN-India.  He said Government of India is looking forward for more joint-tourism promotion and product activities in future.   Sahai said since the number of tourist arrivals between ASEAN and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> had shown steady growth, the establishment of ASEAN Promotional Chapter </span><span style="background: white;">in Mumbai would</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> act as a tourism marketing and promotion agency of ASEAN National Tourism Organisation. The Minister directed the senior officials of his Ministry to report and brief him on regular basis regarding the progress of implementation of the MoU.</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">Sahai also welcomed the forthcoming ASEAN-India car rally to be held this year.  This rally would mark another   meaningful step towards tourism cooperation and at the same time reflect the existence </span><span style="background: white;">of land</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> connectivity that would facilitate tourism exchange between ASEAN and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>.</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">The ASEAN-India Tourism Ministers held their Third Meeting yesterday in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Manado</st1:city>,  <st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region></st1:place> in conjunction with the meeting of the ASEAN Tourism Forum.  </span><span style="background: white;">The Meeting</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> was jointly chaired </span><span style="background: white;">by Subodh</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> Kant Sahai, Union Minister of Tourism and Dr Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">It may be recalled that Prime Minister of India had announced </span><span style="background: white;">during the</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> 9th ASEAN Summit held at Bali </span><span style="background: white;">on November</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> 19, 2011 that a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening tourism cooperation between <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> and ASEAN would be signed preferably at the Meeting of ASEAN-India Tourism Minister in early 2012.   Consequent to the announcement made by the Prime Minister the MoU has been </span><span style="background: white;">signed between</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> and </span><span style="background: white;">ASEAN on</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;"> strengthening tourism cooperation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>

India Signs MoU on Tourism with ASEAN

The Union Tourism Minister, Subodh Kant Sahai at the conference of Tourism Ministers of ASEAN countries, at Manado, Indonesia on January...

Indian PM Pitches for India-ASEAN Services, Investment Pact by March 2012

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh at the Retreat Session of the 6th East Asia Summit, in Bali, Indonesia on November 19, 2011. PIB Photo<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">BALI, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region></st1:place> (NNN-Bernama) -- Citing global economic downturn to push for greater India-Asean cooperation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday pitched for conclusion of a "commercially-meaningful" Services and Investment pact by March 2012 to create a positive atmosphere for implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Addressing the India-Asean Summit here, Singh also highlighted the need for greater connectivity and cooperation on security issues, including maritime security, counter-terrorism, training, exercises and disaster management, reports Press Trust of India (PTI). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Our partnership with Asean is one of the cornerstones of our foreign policy, and the foundation of our 'Look East' Policy," he said at the annual <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Summit</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Talking about various elements of engagement between <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the 10-nation grouping of Association of South East Asian Nations, Singh said, "I believe that our cooperation is on the right path. Given the global economic downturn, there is today an even greater urgency to our cooperation." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He referred to trade and economic front and noted that the India-Asean Free Trade Agreement for Trade in Goods has come into effect in all Asean member states and <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> following its ratification by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:place></st1:country-region> in August this year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I seek your support for the early conclusion of a commercially-meaningful Services and Investment Agreement. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This would create a positive atmosphere for the implementation of the India-Asean Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as envisaged in our Framework Agreement of 2003," the Prime Minister told the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Summit</st1:place></st1:city> leaders. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"We should endorse the decision taken at the last round of negotiations in October 2011 to conclude the Agreement by March 2012," he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">'s trade with Asean has increased by 30 per cent in 2010-2011 and has crossed the USD 50 billion mark. "With such a rate of growth we should be able to achieve our trade target of US$70 billion by 2012," the Prime Minister said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pushing for greater physical connectivity between <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and Asean, Singh said it "remains our strategic objective". <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are several proposals under consideration with regard to land and sea connectivity, which include the <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway</st1:address></st1:street>, its extension to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Laos</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Cambodia</st1:country-region> and the development of a new highway also linking <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A study has also been conducted on a Mekong-India Economic Corridor by the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia which proposes linking of corridors in the peninsular, and possibly the north east areas of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> with the East Asian region. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On other elements of engagement, he said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> welcomes the growing cooperation with Asean on security issues, and "our association with Asean-led forums. These have focused on maritime security, counter-terrorism, training, exercises and disaster management." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He recalled that at the last <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Summit</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> and Asean had agreed on developing a long-term vision for the strategic partnership between the two sides. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"We have taken the first step in this direction by constituting the Asean-India Eminent Persons Group," Singh said, noting that it had been tasked to draft an ASEAN-India Vision 2020 document. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The successful implementation of the Asean-India Plan of Action for 2004-2010 listing specific items of cooperation was followed by an 82-point Plan of Action for the period 2010-2015, Singh said about the ambitious document adopted at the Hanoi Summit last year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> has forwarded a number of cooperative projects as part of this plan as well as part of the US$50 million Asean-India Cooperation Fund to the Asean Secretariat. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"We look forward to an early response from the ASEAN side," Singh said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the expansion of India-Asean cooperation in the fields of science and technology, space and information technology, he said several projects were under implementation under the Asean-India Science and Technology Fund. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> will convene a meeting of heads of space agencies of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and Asean in early 2012, the Prime Minister informed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With regard to initiatives for people-to-people exchanges, Singh invited ASEAN countries to participate actively in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Nalanda</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> project on which work has begun. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On visa front, Singh said visa-on-arrival facility for six Asean countries was now in place. "We should ensure that the Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening tourism cooperation between Asean and <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> is signed at the earliest, preferably at the meeting of the Asean-India Tourism Ministers planned to be held in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:place></st1:country-region> in early 2012," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He also said that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> wished to institutionalise the Asean-India Media Exchange Programme for a period of three years. Under this, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> will be ready to host two groups of 20 Asean journalists each year and Asean countries could in turn consider hosting Indian journalists to Asean Member States. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Announcing that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> proposes to hold Asean-India Commemorative Summit on December 20-21 next year, the Prime Minister extended personal invitation to the leaders of all Asean member countries to attend it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"This will be a historic occasion for us." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> also proposes to organise the India-Asean Car Rally to mark the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Summit</st1:place></st1:city>. The rally will serve to highlight the strong bonds between Asean and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, Singh said. --- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Related News: Indian PM Presses for Greater Trade, Investment Flow from East</span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bali</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> (NNN-PTI) -- Acknowledging India's economic slowdown this year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the country is still expected to witness a 7.5 per cent growth as he pressed for greater flow of trade, investments and services from East Asian nations. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Indian PM Pitches for India-ASEAN Services, Investment Pact by March 2012

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh at the Retreat Session of the 6th East Asia Summit, in Bali, Indonesia on November 19, 2011. PIB P...

India, China Close to Agreement on Peace and Tranquility along Border

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px;">BALI (<st1:country-region w:st="on">INDONESIA</st1:country-region>) - (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Notwithstanding reports of troop’s build-up on both sides of the international border, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place> are close to firming up a mechanism for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Special Representatives of both the countries are meeting in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city> later this month to fine-tune the mechanism, official sources confirmed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amidst the growing bonhomie, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao are meeting Saturday and several contentious issues are expected to be discussed. They include the support to Indian insurgent groups (IIGs), flow of illegal arms into the North-east, etc. The Indian officials though were treading very cautiously on the issues. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Prime Minister meanwhile arrived here to a rousing welcome this evening. Red carpets were rolled out and a Senior Minister of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:place></st1:country-region> was at hand to receive him. This holiday township, favourite among western tourists, glittered as the world leaders started arriving.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meanwhile, officials have downplayed reports of <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s role in supply of weapons to Indian insurgent groups like the Paresh Baruah faction of outlawed ULFA, NSCN and the PLA, besides the Maoists, by pointing out that <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> is yet to trace the smoking gun, implying that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city>’s direct involvement is yet to be ascertained. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yesterday, spokesman of Ministry of External Affairs, Vishnu Prakash, had said that the issues of support to Indian insurgent groups and flow of weapons into the North-east have been raised on several occasions with the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> in the past. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He was responding to questions on free run enjoyed by Paresh Baruah in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>’s latest headache is the alleged Chinese support to Maoists. However, sources maintained that <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> is yet to be convinced about <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> directly supporting the insurgents. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All militant outfits including the Maoists would like us to believe that they have <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s support, but we are yet to see a smoking gun,” said the official. The official though admitted that most of the IIGs in the North-east use Chinese weapons. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> is the manufacturer of cheapest arms in the world, he said, adding that there are weapons flowing all over the place. But to say that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> is supplying them directly is difficult to establish, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meanwhile, <st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Beijing</st1:place></st1:city> are inching closer to working out a mechanism to defuse the tension along the international border. National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon and Vice-Premier Dia Bingao are meeting late in November to finalise the deal. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sources said that <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> engaged themselves in settling the boundary row and proposed to resolve the thorny issue in three phases. Currently, two more phases are to go. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The two countries agreed to first finalise the guidelines, finalise the mechanism to maintain peace and tranquillity, work out the political parameters and then to fix the framework and then work towards applying the framework. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Admitting that the current phase was the toughest, sources claimed that despite reports of troops build-up on both sides of the border, Chinese intrusions into <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> has actually declined during the last couple of years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Meanwhile, the Look East Policy is set to be in focus yet again, when the Prime Minister engages with the ASEAN countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Partnership with ASEAN is an essential component of our Look East Policy,” said Dr Singh. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The level of our engagement with the ASEAN as a group and with individual ASEAN member states has gone up qualitatively in the last few years. This is reflected in the areas of trade and investments, capacity building, connectivity, people-to-people and institutional linkages. We have agreed upon an ambitious India-ASEAN Plan of Action for 2010-2015,” The Prime Minister said, adding that he would review the implementation of the plan of action with ASEAN leaders. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">India</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> would be hosting a special ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> next year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“We are in the process of planning a number of events as part of the celebrations next year including the Delhi Dialogue-IV in February 2012, a car rally from Indonesia to India in November-December 2012, a sail training ship expedition along the monsoon trade winds route from September 2012 to May 2013, and an intensive year-long calendar of cultural activities, Secretary (East), Sanjay Singh said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Trade-in-Goods Agreement between <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and ASEAN is now fully functional. “We are continuing efforts to conclude the Services-and-Investment Agreements which will complement the Trade-in-Goods Agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The total trade between <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> and ASEAN has increased by 30 per cent in last fiscal reaching around USD 58 billion. We expect that the trade target of USD 70 billion by 2012, announced by the Prime Minister at the Seventh ASEAN-India Summit in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hua Hin</st1:city>,  <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region></st1:place> in 2009, would be realised. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Second ASEAN-India Business Fair is planned to be held in December 2012, together with the ASEAN-India Business Summit and ASEAN-India Business Council. We are looking at encouraging collaborations in the MSME sectors, he said. -- NNN-AGENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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India, China Close to Agreement on Peace and Tranquility along Border

BALI ( INDONESIA ) - (NNN-AGENCIES) -- Notwithstanding reports of troop’s build-up on both sides of the international border, India and Ch...

ASEAN Must Not Be Distracted From Building Community By 2015

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">SINGAPORE (NNN-Bernama) -- <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Singapore</st1:country-region></st1:place> said Asean must not be distracted from its goal of building an Asean Community by 2015, through the implementation of the three Community Blueprints, namely political security, economic and socio-cultural. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In its addendum to the President's address to Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said Asean must also not be distracted in preserving the grouping’s centrality in a balanced and open regional architecture. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">MFA said, this was the necessary condition for strengthening Asean's relations with the major powers through Asean’s dialogue partnerships, the Asean Plus Three, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the Asean Regional Forum (ARF). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The ministry said Asean remained the republic's core interest and the cornerstone of its foreign policy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It said building a more integrated and cohesive Asean was an overriding strategic imperative as it enhanced the grouping's economic competitiveness and gave the region a strong platform to engage key international players, especially the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>. -- NNN-BERNAMA</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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ASEAN Must Not Be Distracted From Building Community By 2015

SINGAPORE (NNN-Bernama) -- Singapore said Asean must not be distracted from its goal of building an Asean Community by 2015, through the ...