Manmohan Singh takes part in ASEAN Summit in Vietnam
By ANISaturday, October 30, 2010
HANOI - Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Saturday began talks with other leaders attending the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Vietnam capital Hanoi.
Issues such as trade, security and energy are likely to be discussed at 17th ASEAN Summit being held in the Vietnam Convention Center in Hanoi.
Dr. Singh will also attend the fifth East Asia Summit (EAS) along with the leaders from Australia and New Zealand.
India and ASEAN are expected to chart out a five-year plan of action from 2010-2015 for enhancing cooperation in several sectors.
Last year, India and ASEAN had signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and Saturday’s meeting is expected to review and boost the agreement.
The meeting would also work towards inking Trade in Services and Investment Agreements.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will also join the summit when both countries formally join the EAS.
The EAS, which was first held in Kuala Lumpur in 2005, will see its greatest participation yet as leaders of ASEAN plus their partners China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, will seek to include Russia and the US in next year’s EAS.
Dr. Singh returns to India on Saturday. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)
