Ministers begin talks on creation of ASEAN economic community by 2015

Economic ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations began their annual meeting Monday to discuss their plan for greater regional economic integration.

During the two-day meeting in the Cambodia city of Siem Reap, the ministers will discuss their plans to create an ASEAN economic community by 2015.

Likewise, their ambition to forge an East Asia-wide free trade area when they meet their counterparts from outside the region later in the week.

One of the main issues on the agenda at their ministerial meeting on Thursday will be whether ASEAN and its six major trade partners can agree on the guidelines of principles for negotiations for a free trade area that could encompass 16 countries.

This will launch negotiations during the ASEAN leaders' summit in November this year. The six countries are Japan, China, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.-Interaksyon (August 27, 2012 3:48PM)