ASEAN Stresses Security, Cooperatio

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Subject: ASEAN Stresses Security, Cooperation

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ASEAN Stresses Security, Cooperation
By PAUL ALEXANDER Associated Press Writer=20

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Eager to put their financial crisis behind =
them and concerned about fast-changing security issues, Southeast Asian =
leaders outlined plans Sunday to strengthen the economic recovery into =
the next century, bolster their political clout and nip conflicts in the =
bud.=20

After two straight summits in which the focus was on immediate problems, =
leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations looked =
to the future. They were heartened by what they saw, even though =
difficult impediments remain, including the need to continue painful =
economic reforms.=20

There were even dreams of a time when a united East Asian trade bloc =
could rival the United States and the European Union.=20

Such talk would have drawn incredulous looks just a year ago. But all =
ASEAN members are reporting economic growth this year and the worst of =
the crisis that began in 1997 appears over, and China, Japan and South =
Korea are eager to cooperate.=20

ASEAN leaders issued a joint statement at the end of their summit, in =
which they pledged to speed up trade liberalization, backed Indonesia's =
efforts to end a separatist movement in its troubled Aceh province, and =
heard Japan's plans for another $500 million worth of grant aid to the =
region.=20

The leaders said they foresee moving beyond a planned ASEAN Free Trade =
Area ``toward higher levels of economic integration.'' Philippine =
President Joseph Estrada outlined a vision of ``an East Asian common =
market, one East Asian currency and one East Asian community.''=20

The statement said the leaders are creating a ministerial-level troika =
to ``cooperate more closely on issues affecting peace and stability of =
the region.''=20

The leaders specifically mentioned the South China Sea, site of =
territorial disputes over several countries' claims to the Spratly =
Islands, which are believed to be rich in natural resources.=20

ASEAN officials crafted a draft ``code of conduct'' aimed at avoiding =
conflicts over the disputes and presented it Thursday to China. Slim =
hopes that the code would be approved by the end of the summit vanished, =
and officials now say negotiations with Beijing will continue into 2000 =
and possibly beyond.=20

The region's leaders also said Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the =
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are moving up - from 2015 to 2010 - =
the deadline for ending tariffs on most goods as part of creation of an =
ASEAN Free Trade Area.=20

The other four members - Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam - are among =
the world's poorest countries and therefore are being given more =
latitude. Their date was advanced from 2018 to 2015.=20

Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on Sunday announced the new $500 =
million aid package for Southeast Asia, focusing on training and =
development of human resources.=20

The package of grants, dubbed the ``Obuchi Plan,'' was formulated after =
a high-level Japanese mission visited the region in September and =
concluded that the key to sustained economic growth in the region is the =
development of human resources.=20

Although the leaders said their social safety nets have improved, social =
activists say the leaders should pay more attention to their people and =
strive for greater democracy. Several dozen human-rights protesters =
scuffled with police Sunday morning about one mile from the summit site. =


A group of Filipino women who were forced to be sex slaves for Japanese =
troops in World War II also protested outside the heavily guarded =
compound where Obuchi was holding talks with South Korean President Kim =
Dae-jung and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji. They demanded an official =
apology and Japanese government compensation.=20

The talks by the three East Asian leaders primarily were limited to =
economic development, avoiding sensitive regional security issues. It =
was the first time that heads of government from the three countries met =
as a trio after decades of distrust caused by the Cold War and lingering =
dangers on the Korean peninsula.=20

In a politically bold move, Obuchi also became the first senior world =
leader to meet with a top Myanmar official since the military took =
control there in 1988.=20

Earlier Stories



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<H2>ASEAN Stresses Security, Cooperation</H2><!-- TextStart -->
<P><FONT size=3D-1><I>By PAUL ALEXANDER Associated Press Writer =
</I></FONT>
<P>MANILA, Philippines (AP) - Eager to put their financial crisis behind =
them=20
and concerned about fast-changing security issues, Southeast Asian =
leaders=20
outlined plans Sunday to strengthen the economic recovery into the next =
century,=20
bolster their political clout and nip conflicts in the bud.=20
<P>After two straight summits in which the focus was on immediate =
problems,=20
leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations looked =
to the=20
future. They were heartened by what they saw, even though difficult =
impediments=20
remain, including the need to continue painful economic reforms.=20
<P>There were even dreams of a time when a united East Asian trade bloc =
could=20
rival the United States and the European Union.=20
<P>Such talk would have drawn incredulous looks just a year ago. But all =
ASEAN=20
members are reporting economic growth this year and the worst of the =
crisis that=20
began in 1997 appears over, and China, Japan and South Korea are eager =
to=20
cooperate.=20
<P>ASEAN leaders issued a joint statement at the end of their summit, in =
which=20
they pledged to speed up trade liberalization, backed Indonesia's =
efforts to end=20
a separatist movement in its troubled Aceh province, and heard Japan's =
plans for=20
another $500 million worth of grant aid to the region.=20
<P>The leaders said they foresee moving beyond a planned ASEAN Free =
Trade Area=20
``toward higher levels of economic integration.'' Philippine President =
Joseph=20
Estrada outlined a vision of ``an East Asian common market, one East =
Asian=20
currency and one East Asian community.''=20
<P>The statement said the leaders are creating a ministerial-level =
troika to=20
``cooperate more closely on issues affecting peace and stability of the=20
region.''=20
<P>The leaders specifically mentioned the South China Sea, site of =
territorial=20
disputes over several countries' claims to the Spratly Islands, which =
are=20
believed to be rich in natural resources.=20
<P>ASEAN officials crafted a draft ``code of conduct'' aimed at avoiding =

conflicts over the disputes and presented it Thursday to China. Slim =
hopes that=20
the code would be approved by the end of the summit vanished, and =
officials now=20
say negotiations with Beijing will continue into 2000 and possibly =
beyond.=20
<P>The region's leaders also said Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the =
Philippines,=20
Singapore and Thailand are moving up - from 2015 to 2010 - the deadline =
for=20
ending tariffs on most goods as part of creation of an ASEAN Free Trade =
Area.=20
<P>The other four members - Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam - are =
among the=20
world's poorest countries and therefore are being given more latitude. =
Their=20
date was advanced from 2018 to 2015.=20
<P>Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on Sunday announced the new $500 =
million=20
aid package for Southeast Asia, focusing on training and development of =
human=20
resources.=20
<P>The package of grants, dubbed the ``Obuchi Plan,'' was formulated =
after a=20
high-level Japanese mission visited the region in September and =
concluded that=20
the key to sustained economic growth in the region is the development of =
human=20
resources.=20
<P>Although the leaders said their social safety nets have improved, =
social=20
activists say the leaders should pay more attention to their people and =
strive=20
for greater democracy. Several dozen human-rights protesters scuffled =
with=20
police Sunday morning about one mile from the summit site.=20
<P>A group of Filipino women who were forced to be sex slaves for =
Japanese=20
troops in World War II also protested outside the heavily guarded =
compound where=20
Obuchi was holding talks with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and =
Chinese=20
Premier Zhu Rongji. They demanded an official apology and Japanese =
government=20
compensation.=20
<P>The talks by the three East Asian leaders primarily were limited to =
economic=20
development, avoiding sensitive regional security issues. It was the =
first time=20
that heads of government from the three countries met as a trio after =
decades of=20
distrust caused by the Cold War and lingering dangers on the Korean =
peninsula.=20
<P>In a politically bold move, Obuchi also became the first senior world =
leader=20
to meet with a top Myanmar official since the military took control =
there in=20
1988. <!-- TextEnd --><BR><BR><B>Earlier=20
Stories</B><BR></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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