ASEAN ECONOMIC MINISTERS HOLD INFORMAL TALKS AT GOLF COURSE

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The 27-hole Equatorial Golf Course in Bangi
is the "venue" for Asean economic ministers here for the 16th Asean Economic
Ministers' (AEM) Retreat to have informal talks on issues of mutual concern.

They gathered at the golf course, about 10km from the meeting venue at
Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, for a round of golf ahead of the working dinner
Saturday night.

Under the cloudy weather with temperatures hovering at 32 degrees celsius,
the ministers and senior officials will play 18 holes at the lush greenery
course amid quiet ambience.

The ministers are Cambodia's Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce Cham
Prasidh, Indonesia's Minister of Trade Dr Mari Elka Pangestu, Myanmar Minister
for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Thailand Vice-Minister
of Commerce Alongkorn Ponlaboot and Vietnam Minister of Industry and Trade
Nguyen Camtu.

Senior officials playing are Malaysia's International Trade and Industry
Ministry secretary-general Abdul Rahman Mamat, senior
director Abdul Ghafar Musa, Malaysian External Trade Development
Corporation chief executive officer Noharuddin Nordin, Malaysia-Cambodia
Business Council president Mohd Ramli Kushairi, Malaysian Industrial
Development Authority senior director Phang Ah Tong and DRB-Hicom Bhd Auto
Solutions chairman Bahar Ahmad.

Except Thailand, which is represented by a vice-minister, all other Asean
countries are represented by ministers at the two-day retreat beginning
Saturday.

Among issues discussed at the retreat are the effects of several free trade
agreements (FTAs) signed with major trading partners over the years,
particularly on the impact on domestic industries.

Asean has inked FTAs with Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea.
The ministers will also deliberate on the future direction of Asean after
the creation of Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015.

Earlier, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa
Mohamed said the main challenge for the Asean Retreat is to find ways to boost
intra-Asean trade to surpass the 25 per cent annual percentage from the total
trade to at least 30 to 35 per cent in the near future.

Other issues to feature prominently are ensuring Asean countries are
steadfast in their commitments as stipulated in the AEC Blueprint and on the new
economic integration model after realisation of the AEC in 2015.

-- BERNAMA