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ASEAN chief visit augurs well
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ASEAN chief visit augurs well
The Hindu (New Delhi)
January 3, 2001
By Sushma Ramachandran
NEW DELHI, JAN. 2. The New Year seems to have started off on a positive
note for the `Look East' policy as the Director-General of the
Association of Southeast Nations SEAN), Mr. Rudolfo Severino, is slated
to arrive here next week. The visit will be followed by the third
ASEAN-India Senior Officials Meeting later in the month.
According to official sources, Mr. Severino's visit on January 8 and 9
is to deliver the ASEAN Eminent Persons lecture series, organised under
the auspices of Research and Information Systems, but he is also
expected to hold talks with representatives of the Commerce and External
Affairs Ministries.
With the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, leaving shortly for two
southeast countries, efforts are being made to forge closer ties with
the tiger economies of the region. A series of initiatives has been
taken but a dialogue is required for closer economic cooperation, ASEAN
is seeking greater complementarity of Indian policies with that of its
member countries. The pace of reforms is considered too slow with red
tapism and procedural hassles being high on the list of problems faced
by ASEAN investors.
Mr. Severino is thus expected to hold discussions with the Commerce
Ministry on ways to boost trade and economic cooperation. Southeast Asia
is a major market for Indian exports but these are facing stiff
competition from products made in China. At the same time, ASEAN will
look to easier market access in India and the complete removal of
Quantitative Restrictions by April this year will help to a great
extent. The ASEAN countries are bound to seek preferential tariffs since
duty rates may be pegged relatively high for a wide variety of consumer
goods where the regional bloc's members are extremely competitive.
Multilateral trade issues, including the proposed new round of trade
negotiations under the World Trade Organisation, may also figure during
the talks.
The ASEAN is also said to be interested in the information technology
sector. so Mr. Severino will be making a visit to Bangalore to hold
meetings with the software industry. Cooperation in the sector is one of
the priorities for the ASEAN, given that India is emerging as a software
giant.
Close on the heels of Mr. Severino's visit will be the third ASEAN-India
SOM meeting to be attended by officials from all seven member countries
of the bloc. Sources say the discussions will cover a wide array of
issues ranging from the international arena to political, economic and
cultural aspects of cooperation. This is considered a significant
meeting in the context of the growing close ties between the ASEAN and
India as the meeting will seek to iron out irritants in the path of a
closer strategic and economic relationship.
The first SOM meeting was held in 1998 and the second in 1999. The third
meeting could not be held last year but has now been scheduled for
January 18 and 19. Officials are hopeful that the focus on the country's
eastern neighbours will enable India to emerge as a significant player
on the Asian economic scene in the long-term. Till recently it had been
seeking membership in the regional blocs such as the ASEAN and the Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation, but has now decided to engage in a more
pro-active way through dialogue. The SOM meeting is part of this
intensive dialogue that is proposed to be continued over the next few
months.
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<b><font size=+2>ASEAN chief visit augurs well</font></b>
<p>The Hindu (New Delhi)
<br>January 3, 2001
<p>By <b>Sushma Ramachandran</b>
<p><b>NEW DELHI, JAN. 2.</b> The New Year seems to have started off on
a positive note for the `Look East' policy as the Director-General of the
Association of Southeast Nations SEAN), Mr. Rudolfo Severino, is slated
to arrive here next week. The visit will be followed by the third ASEAN-India
Senior Officials Meeting later in the month.
<p>According to official sources, Mr. Severino's visit on January 8 and
9 is to deliver the ASEAN Eminent Persons lecture series, organised under
the auspices of Research and Information Systems, but he is also expected
to hold talks with representatives of the Commerce and External Affairs
Ministries.
<p>With the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, leaving shortly for two
southeast countries, efforts are being made to forge closer ties with the
tiger economies of the region. A series of initiatives has been taken but
a dialogue is required for closer economic cooperation, ASEAN is seeking
greater complementarity of Indian policies with that of its member countries.
The pace of reforms is considered too slow with red tapism and procedural
hassles being high on the list of problems faced by ASEAN investors.
<p>Mr. Severino is thus expected to hold discussions with the Commerce
Ministry on ways to boost trade and economic cooperation. Southeast Asia
is a major market for Indian exports but these are facing stiff competition
from products made in China. At the same time, ASEAN will look to easier
market access in India and the complete removal of Quantitative Restrictions
by April this year will help to a great extent. The ASEAN countries are
bound to seek preferential tariffs since duty rates may be pegged relatively
high for a wide variety of consumer goods where the regional bloc's members
are extremely competitive. Multilateral trade issues, including the proposed
new round of trade negotiations under the World Trade Organisation, may
also figure during the talks.
<p>The ASEAN is also said to be interested in the information technology
sector. so Mr. Severino will be making a visit to Bangalore to hold meetings
with the software industry. Cooperation in the sector is one of the priorities
for the ASEAN, given that India is emerging as a software giant.
<p>Close on the heels of Mr. Severino's visit will be the third ASEAN-India
SOM meeting to be attended by officials from all seven member countries
of the bloc. Sources say the discussions will cover a wide array of issues
ranging from the international arena to political, economic and cultural
aspects of cooperation. This is considered a significant meeting in the
context of the growing close ties between the ASEAN and India as the meeting
will seek to iron out irritants in the path of a closer strategic and economic
relationship.
<p>The first SOM meeting was held in 1998 and the second in 1999. The third
meeting could not be held last year but has now been scheduled for January
18 and 19. Officials are hopeful that the focus on the country's eastern
neighbours will enable India to emerge as a significant player on the Asian
economic scene in the long-term. Till recently it had been seeking membership
in the regional blocs such as the ASEAN and the Asia- Pacific Economic
Cooperation, but has now decided to engage in a more pro-active way through
dialogue. The SOM meeting is part of this intensive dialogue that is proposed
to be continued over the next few months.
<br>
<br>
<p> </html>
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