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(A) HAVE BOTH AN INTERNAL AND AN EXTERNAL AGENDA:
(B) EMBRACE CO-OPERATION NOT ONLY OVER TRADE, BUT ALSO INVESTMENT,
TECHNOLOGY, TOURISM QUOTE AND EVEN LABOUR FLOWS UNQUOTE. THERE MIGHT, FOR INSTANCE, BE COLLABORATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT:
(C) CHAMPION A GLOBAL OPEN TRADING SYSTEM:
(D)
(E)
(F)
(G)
REDUCE INTRA-REGIONAL TRADE BARRIERS BUT NOT (NOT) RAISE
BARRIERS AGAINST EXTERNAL TRADING PARTNERS. REGIONAL ECONOMIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE STRONGLY OUTWARD LOOKING:
BE A MODEL FOR NORTH-SOUTH CO-OPERATION:
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SECURITY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL REGIONAL
ECONOMIES:
BE BASED ON QUOTE MUTUAL BENEFIT, MUTUAL RESPECT, EGALITARIANISM, CONSENSUS AND DEMOCRACY UNQUOTE.
5. MAHATHIR SUGGESTED THAT THE INTERNAL AGENDA SHOULD BE PURSUED THROUGH REGULAR MEETINGS AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL. BUT OTHERWISE HE WAS AT PAINS TO STRESS THAT THE PRECISE WORKINGS OF THE GROUPING WERE FOR DECISION BY ASEAN COLLECTIVELY.
COMMENT
6.
MAHATHIR'S SPEECH WAS TO SOME EXTENT PREFIGURED BY ONE WHICH FINANCE MINISTER ANWAR IBRAHIM GAVE AT AN ASEAN INSTITUTE SYMPOSIUM IN MANILA ON 7 MAY. THIS MADE STILL MORE GRANDIOSE REFERENCES TO THE EAEC, WHICH QUOTE MAY EVENTUALLY TAKE OFF AS THE NEW DETERMINANT IN THE EAST-WEST ECONOMIC DIVIDE UNQUOTE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE MALAYSIANS ARE DETERMINED TO PUSH THE PROPOSAL HARD, NOW THAT THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION APPEARS TO HAVE DROPPED (OR AT LEAST QUALIFIED) EARLIER AMERICAN OPPOSITION. SPEAKING TO THE DIPLOMATIC CLUB HERE, FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH BADAWI SAID ON 17 MAY THAT EAEC WAS NOW TOP OF THE AGENDA. WINSTON LORD'S POSITIVE COMMENTS (AT HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING) WERE MOST WELCOME- THOUGH JAMES BAKER SHOULD HAVE MADE THEM- AND (BADAWI SAID) WOULD
UNDOUBTEDLY NUDGE THE JAPANESE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
7. SEEN FROM HERE AT LEAST IT IS LESS CLEAR WHETHER MALAYSIA'S
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