M'SIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER MEETING CLINTON ON SIDELINES OF ARF

PHUKET, July 21 (Bernama) -- Outstanding bilateral issues, President Barack
Obama's proposed visit to Malaysia and the fate of two Malaysians held at
Guantanamo Bay will be discussed during Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman's
meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here Thursday.

Anifah told Malaysian media here that several bilaterial and regional issues
would be discussed during the meeting, including the impending Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) between both countries.

The meeting, at the request of Malaysia and to be held on the sidelines of
the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), will allow for the two leaders to discuss
further issues brought up during their meeting in Washington in May.

The US is Malaysia's largest trading partner and Malaysia is the 10th
largest trading partner of the US. Annual two-way trade amounts to US$49 billion
and both countries began negotiations for a FTA in June 2006.

The issue of the two Malaysians, Mohd Farik Amin or Zaid (Zubair) and
Mohammed Nazir Lep or Bashir Lep (Lillie), held at Guantanamo Bay for alleged
involvement in the militant group Jemaah Islamiah and Al-Qaeda since 2003, was
was first raised during their meeting in Washington.

Wisma Putra (Foreign Ministry) had said after the May meeting that Malaysia
hoped for the return of the duo once the process of review of the two prisoners
was completed.

According to Malaysian officials, both leaders would also discuss the
proposed separate visit by Obama and Clinton to Malaysia, but so far no dates
have been proposed.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak had invited Obama to visit Malaysia
during their telephone conversation he had with Obama on June 26.

Anifah said the US had backed down from its insistence on amending certain
provisions before signing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast
Asia, adding that Clinton would sign it here Wednesday.

"The US has agreed to withdraw its proposal to make amendments and accede to
the TAC. We (Asean) told them that we couldn't make any changes as it was too
late to do so," he said.

The Congressional Research Service (CRS), which provides US Congress members
with policy and legal analyses, had said that a major concern with accession
was whether the TAC's emphasis on non-interference in other countries'
domestic affairs would constrain US freedom of action, especially its sanctions
on Myanmar.

Anifah also said that he had asked his Asean counterparts to come out with a
common stance when meeting Clinton and other dialogue partners, adding that they
should give priority to important issues and avoid differences in opinion.

"We have asked the senior officials to come out with a consensus on what to
discuss. The issues can be related to the economic crisis, terrorism, energy
security, food security or human rights," he said on the eve of the Asean
meeting with the US, European Union, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea,
Canada, New Zealand and India.

To a question on the Myanmar democracy issue which continues to be posed by
western nations over other important issues during such meetings, Anifah said
the 10-member Asean should be taking the lead in defending its own position,
including on human rights issues.
-- BERNAMA