Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bali (Fides Service) – Besides closer economic ties themselves, the member nations of Asean Brunei Burma Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam meeting in Bali, Thailand, on 8 October signed a security deal with China and India while Japan said it would reduce trade barriers. The agreements came on the second and final day of the Asean summit in Bali, which has been overshadowed by Burma and its military government's continued detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The security document signed by China and India, known as the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation, renounces the threat or use of force to settle disputes.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said the agreement “demonstrates reciprocal trust between the signing countries and the conviction that problems can be solved through dialogue and negotiation”.
In the meantime to increase and guarantee economic cooperation in Asia, ASEAN has launched a plan to create a regional market by 2020 with associates China, Japan and South Korea. PA (Fides Service 9/10/2003 EM lines 19 Words: 191)
