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Southeast Asian Leaders Tackle Trade, Security
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=15C6BC9:A6F02AD83191E1602680EAE000E190EC9574F7DCC14957C0 Japan, China, S.
Korea raise trade, security concerns as they meet with counterparts





Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, center, welcomes S. Korean President Roh
Moo-hyun, left, and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, in Cebu, 14 Jan 2007 The
leaders of Japan, China and South Korea take up trade and security
concerns as they meet with their Southeast Asian counterparts in the
Philippines. VOA's Heda Bayron reports from the city of Cebu, where
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is holding its annual
gathering.

The talks Sunday bring together the leaders of ASEAN's biggest trading
partners - Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo underscored the importance of
engaging the region's powers to reach ASEAN's goal of a free trade
area and eventually a common market.

"It's vitally important at this time in world events that ASEAN is
bringing so many nations and leaders together to discuss peace,
security, and social justice and economic growth," said Arroyo.

North Korea is also on the agenda, with the three East Asian powers
meeting separately to discuss ways to persuade Pyongyang to abandon
its nuclear weapons programs.


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