ASEAN approves talks with Japan
VIENTIANE, Laos -- A day after reaching a deal with China in a bid to create the world's largest free trade zone, the leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations have approved free trade talks with Japan.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also pledged to boost ties with India, Australia and New Zealand on day two of their summit in the capital of Laos, Vientiane.
On Monday they agreed to create an open market of two billion people by 2010 to compete with Europe and the United States.
The pact between regional giant China and the 10 nations aims to drop most tariffs over the next five years in a move some analysts have said is a sign Beijing may be moving to undercut America's vast economic influence over the region.
On Tuesday, leaders of the ASEAN group agreed with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to start trade talks in April, with the aim of wrapping them up in two years.
The talks would center on how to cut tariffs between the world's second largest economy and ASEAN nations.
Also attending the 10th summit are the leaders of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. It is the first time Australia and New Zealand have been invited to the event.
CNN correspondent Aneesh Raman said ASEAN "wants to an economic structure similar to that of the European Union."
While the main focus on the summit is regional economic cooperation, there are political issues simmering beneath the surface.
Myanmar was given early prominence by Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who will meet Myanmar's Foreign Minister Nyan Win on Tuesday for a working breakfast, Reuters reports.
Thaksin wants ASEAN leaders to address the lack of progress in political reform by Yangon -- a continual source of embarrassment for the association, officials said.
"Prime Minister Thaksin will suggest at the summit that ASEAN leaders should have an informal discussion on Myanmar to learn about the latest situation there ... But that request would need to be agreed upon by Myanmar," Reuters reported chief Thai spokesman Jakrapob Penkair as saying.
Many of ASEAN's other members -- including Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines -- have criticized some of Myanmar's actions, especially the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Discussion of internal political issues among ASEAN members is a touchy subject with leaders generally confining themselves to less contentious economic and trade issues.
Last week, Thaksin had threatened to walk out of the ASEAN summit if the issue of Muslim unrest in Thailand's south was raised.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
