ASEAN ECONOMY PROJECTED TO GROW 4.5 TO 6 PCT

BANGKOK, March 5 (Bernama) -- Asean Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan is
projecting an economic growth of between 4.5 and 6.0 per cent for the region
this year citing its sound economy management as a factor.

"We have saved a lot. We have created enough buffer zone by stimulating our
economy during last year's financial crisis," he told the International
Conference on Changing Global Landscape and Its Implications on Regional
Architecture at the Bangkok Convention Centre, here.

He said Asean gained a lot from the international financial and trade system
due to its centrality role in the East Asian region and drew interconnectivity
with other big world players such as United States, Europe and India.

Asean, he said, did not view the proposed East Asian Community consisting of
Asean, China, Japan and South Korea as a challenge but as a recognition that
Asean could contribute to the East Asia consultation and policies.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan who visited Asean
Secretariat in Jakarta yesterday even commended Asean for its achievement thus
far, he said.

"The world wanted Asean to succeed because if it achieved what it wanted to,
then the world has one region less to worry about," Dr Surin said.

He said the East has now played an important role in the global economic
situation as it was the East that the West asked to pull the world out of the
economic crisis last year.

"We are not perfect but can provide centrality role to the region and help
shape the direction of the region," he said.

"It was Asean that provided the platform for the two giants, China and
Japan, to sit together and contribute to the wellbeing of East Asian," said Dr
Tan Siew Mun a consultant with Malaysia's Institute of Strategic and
International Studies in explaining the centrality role played by Asean.

Dr Surin said the challenges for Asean now was how to consolidate and
integrate into one market, one investment area and one production base in more
effective methods following the creation of Asean Economic Community by
2015.--BERNAMA