Japan to reaffirm strong ties with ASEAN at summit: Koizumi

Japan to reaffirm strong ties with ASEAN at summit: Koizumi

TOKYO, Nov. 26, Kyodo - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Wednesday
told envoys from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
that Japan will reaffirm its commitment to further boosting ties at a
special summit in December, Japanese officials said.
In a meeting with Koizumi, the ambassadors to Japan from the 10 ASEAN
nations welcomed Japan's plan to sign a regional amity and cooperation
treaty, saying they are encouraged by the premier's intention to
strengthen Japan-ASEAN ties in political and security fields.

Koizumi said the summit, to be held in Tokyo, is significant as it
will be the first time for the association's leaders to gather in a
country outside the ASEAN region.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The 10 ASEAN ambassadors told Koizumi they are aware of Japan's
intention to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast
Asia (TAC) and that they are encouraged by the premier's policy of
seeking to strengthen ties in political and security fields between
Japan and ASEAN, the officials said.

Japan announced its intention to join the TAC earlier this month at a
meeting of senior officials from Japan and ASEAN to prepare for the
special summit on Dec. 11-12.

Last month, Koizumi was strongly urged to sign the TAC during a summit
meeting in Indonesia with ASEAN leaders. But he stopped short of
promising to join, saying ties between Japan and ASEAN will remain
strong with or without the pact.

The ASEAN-initiated treaty is a regional pact in which signatory
states pledge respect for the independence, sovereignty and
territorial integrity of all countries. ASEAN amended the pact in 1998
to allow non-ASEAN countries to join, and China, India and Papua New
Guinea recently signed it.

At the December summit, Japan and ASEAN plan to sign two documents --
an outline of a basic guideline for future Japan-ASEAN relations and
an action plan spelling out specific measures to be taken under the
guideline.