Feb 28, 2010
Asean Mulls Multilateral Agreement With US
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is studying the possibility of joining a multilateral trading agreement with the U.S., Asean secretary general Surin Pitsuwan said Sunday.
"No definite decision has been made currently...but we are keen on strengthening this relationship," Pitsuwan told reporters at the Asean Economic Minister Retreat.
He also said that there will be an Asean delegation will be visiting the U.S to discuss the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership or TPP.
Two countries in Asean--Singapore and Brunei--are part of the initial bloc of four countries that include New Zealand and Chile that suggested the TPP idea.
Vietnam, another Asean member has been invited to join the bloc.
Last November, U.S. president Barack Obama said the country has begun talks aimed at participating in the TPP in lieu of the bilateral free trade agreements that the U.S. had previously pursued.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed said that the global financial crisis had somewhat affected the progress of Asean integration but "we are still on track."
Asean has set a 2015 target for a single market under the Asean Economic Community.
Asean comprises 10 member nations in Southeast Asia.
(Dow Jones) VNBusinessNews.com
Asean Mulls Multilateral Agreement With US
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is studying the possibility of joining a multilateral trading agreement with the U.S., Asean secretary general Surin Pitsuwan said Sunday.
"No definite decision has been made currently...but we are keen on strengthening this relationship," Pitsuwan told reporters at the Asean Economic Minister Retreat.
He also said that there will be an Asean delegation will be visiting the U.S to discuss the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership or TPP.
Two countries in Asean--Singapore and Brunei--are part of the initial bloc of four countries that include New Zealand and Chile that suggested the TPP idea.
Vietnam, another Asean member has been invited to join the bloc.
Last November, U.S. president Barack Obama said the country has begun talks aimed at participating in the TPP in lieu of the bilateral free trade agreements that the U.S. had previously pursued.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed said that the global financial crisis had somewhat affected the progress of Asean integration but "we are still on track."
Asean has set a 2015 target for a single market under the Asean Economic Community.
Asean comprises 10 member nations in Southeast Asia.
(Dow Jones) VNBusinessNews.com
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