ASEAN+3 leaders agree to convene EAS annually: Malaysian PM

ASEAN and its three dialogue partners -- China, Japan and South Korea -- have agreed that the East Asia Summit (EAS) will convene on an annual basis, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said here Monday.

Badawi told a press conference that at the moment, the format of the EAS would mostly be to discuss matters of global strategic importance, especially those concerning the region.

Nevertheless, the prime minister said their views would be presented to the leaders of Australia, New Zealand and India when they meet at the inaugural EAS scheduled for Dec. 14.

"If everybody agrees, then the next EAS will be held in the Philippines next year in conjunction with the 12th ASEAN Summit," he said after chairing the 11th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the 9th ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, South Korea) Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center here.

Meanwhile, the Chairman's statement of the ASEAN Summit released after the meeting also said that ASEAN leaders agreed to convene the EAS on an annual basis and they would propose it to the other participants of the First EAS.

Badawi said ASEAN affirmed at its meeting Monday that the ASEAN+ 3 process was important to the grouping despite the existence of EAS.

"We have had very long experience of working together in ways that have benefited ASEAN and I believe too that it has benefited the three countries -- China, Japan and (South) Korea as well," he said.

The three countries, he said, were very much involved in capacity development building in ASEAN with still more projects being implemented to that effect now.

In clearing the role of ASEAN+3 with the emergence of the EAS, Badawi said the new forum was neither a replacement nor an alternative for ASEAN+3

"ASEAN+3 leaders believe that it would not in any way affect the importance of the EAS. ASEAN+3 is complementary in nature. One is not opposed to the other and the EAS too will neither be confrontational nor adversarial," he said.

Source: Xinhua