[A-List] Towards East Asian Community - III

["Sabri Oncu" <soncu@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Could this have anything to the with Japan's failure to get the US invited
to this first East Asia summit? 

Sabri

+++++++++++

Japan leader fuels row with China ahead of pan-Asian summit
The Associated Press, December 13, 2005 

Japan's prime minister said Tuesday he is baffled by the Chinese premier's
refusal to meet one-on-one, fueling a row dating back to World War II and
clouding a summit with grand visions for a pan-Asian community.

South Korea and Southeast Asian nations inked an accord during summit
meetings Tuesday to set up a free trade area, while the Philippines extended
an invitation to Russia and China to join a Southeast Asian anti-terror
coalition.

The meetings in Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur, end Wednesday when the
10 leaders in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meet with
counterparts from Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia and New
Zealand.

That grouping aims for an eventual Asian economic community comprising half
the world's population and a combined economy of US$8.3 trillion (euro7
trillion), but the region's many rivalries make that goal elusive. 

The summit already has been soured by a raging controversy over Japanese
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which honors
war criminals along with the nation's 2.5 million war dead.

China's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun
have canceled a one-on-one meeting with Koizumi this year in protest.

Koizumi told ASEAN leaders during their Tuesday meeting that he found Wen's
attitude inexplicable.

"No two nations are without their share of differences. I cannot understand
why China won't have a meeting because of one problem," Koizumi was quoted
as saying by a Japanese delegation official.

The Chinese delegation did not immediately respond, but Wen said late Monday
that Koizumi lacks the "correct approach toward historical questions ...
deeply hurting the feeling of the Chinese people, the Korean people and the
people of Asia."

Koizumi maintains his visits are meant to express his remorse about war.

"I think eventually with time my position will be understood," he was quoted
as telling his ASEAN counterparts.

China and South Korea, both occupied by Japanese forces before 1945, say
Japan has not fully atoned for wartime atrocities.

The agreement between South Korea and ASEAN sets the framework for their
ultimate goal of creating a free trade area of 548 million people with a
combined economy of more than US$1.4 trillion (euro1.2 trillion).

Roh hailed the agreement as "a step forward."

"Based on this, I hope remaining liberalization negotiations will wrap up
next year," Roh told his ASEAN counterparts, according to presidential aide
Chung Woo-sung.

The two sides last week signed an accord on free trade of goods, which forms
the heart of their free trade deal, but top rice exporter Thailand refused
to join because of South Korea's refusal to loosen up its rice market.

Both sides hope to resolve that glitch in the coming year.

Also Tuesday, Japan unveiled US$70 million (euro60 million) in aid for
cultural and educational programs in Southeast Asia. On Monday, Koizumi had
announced a US$135 million (euro114 million) aid package to help ASEAN
nations fight bird flu.

Japan is Southeast Asia's biggest aid donor, pledging US$800 million
(euro670 million) annually, including many development projects along the
Mekong River, a source of livelihood to millions of people.

Japan's engagement with ASEAN is aimed at bolstering its standing in a
region that is vital to Japanese growth, while countering China's expanding
clout.

Still, its talks aimed at a free trade area with ASEAN are faltering. The
two sides are at odds on tariff reductions, and some ASEAN members complain
that Japan is pushing separate deals with member nations that confuse the
overall talks.

Japan has free trade area agreements only with Singapore and Mexico.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said she wants to expand a
Southeast Asian anti-terrorism coalition to include China, Russia and four
other central Asian nations. She told reporters that China welcomed her
proposal.

Much attention has also been on Myanmar, facing international criticism for
keeping pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest and failing
to fulfill its pledge to restore democracy.

On Monday, ASEAN countries, who until now had maintained a diplomatic
hands-off attitude toward Myanmar, stepped up pressure, urging the junta to
release political prisoners and "expedite" its democratic pledges.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid is likely to visit Myanmar in January
to assess its promised moves toward democracy, and has demanded to see Suu
Kyi, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said Tuesday.