ASEAN SUMMIT LIKELY IN THIRD WEEK OF JUNE

By D. Arul Rajoo

BANGKOK, April 27 (Bernama) -- The aborted Asean + 6 Summit is likely to be held at the end of May or third week of June in Phuket, as host Thailand and the Asean Secretariat try to fix a date that could accommodate the busy schedule of Leaders of the 16 participating countries.

It is learnt that early June, including the initially proposed June 6 and 7,
were not suitable as Asean leaders would be attending the Asean-South Korea
Commemorative Summit in Jeju Island on June 1 and 2, while Malaysia would be
busy with the King's birthday celebration on June 6, and the Philippines with
its Independence Day on June 12.

Thai Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Panich Vikitsreth said the Thai
Government and the Foreign Ministry were looking at the third week of June as a
possible period to hold the summit which was aborted after anti-government
protesters stormed the meeting venue in Pattaya and forced its cancellation on
April 11.

"Besides the Asean-Korean Summit, we were informed that Korean leaders also
have other overseas engagements in early June. Prime Minister Abhisit
(Vejjajiva) is looking at the best suitable date with the close cooperation of
the Asean Secretariat," he said after officiating the Second OECD-Southeast Asia
Regional Forum here Monday.

Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, who was also present, said the
earliest possible date would be at the end of May, adding that it was up to host
Thailand to set the date, while he himself was in constant consultation with the
capital, of the other 15 nations to facilitate the arrangements.

"We want to hold the summit as soon as possible. We don't want to lose the
momentum. All documents are ready, and the meetings would not take more than
two and half days," he said.

Furthermore, Surin said, he was confident that Thailand would be able to
provide the necessary security to ensure no repeat of the Pattaya incident,
adding that it was important to hold the summit as there were urgent matters
concerning the global economic and financial crisis that needed to be discussed.

He said China and India wanted to sign investment and trade agreements with
the 10-member Asean at the summit.

Asked if Thailand was ready to cancel the summit and carry forward all the
documents and signing of agreements to the 15th Asean Summit here in October,
Panich said it was not possible as there were issues that needed to be sort out
immediately.

"There are many other issues to be discussed in October. The question of
security also does not arise as we believe the Thai people, including the
protesters, have realised the painful experience from the Pattaya incident and
the damage it had done to the country," he said.

The summits gather Asean and its dialogue partners China, Japan, Korea,
Australia, New Zealand and India.

On the Multilateralised Chiang Mai Initiative (CMIM), Surin said the actual
contribution by China and Japan would be decided at the Asean+3 Finance
Ministers Meeting in Bali on May 2 and 3.

"Both China and Japan want to contribute more than the other. For Asean,
it's not a shortage of goodwill but an overflow of goodwill...furthermore,
Australia and India have also said they want to join the CMIM," said Surin.

During a special meeting in Phuket last February, Asean financial chiefs and
their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea agreed to expand the size
of the CMIM from the initially agreed US$80 billion to US$120 billion.

Under the agreement, Asean and Korea would contribute 20 per cent or US$24
billion each, while China and Japan would fork out the remaining US$72 billion.

CMIM is an initiative under the Asean+3 framework which aims for creation of
a network of Bilateral Swap Arrangements among the 10 South-east Asian economies
and the three dialogue partners.
-- BERNAMA