Asean Calls for Korea Talks Leaders Say Solution To Nuclear Standoff
Rests in Diplomacy
NANNING, China -- Southeast Asian leaders called for a resumption of multination talks aimed at resolving the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program, praising China's efforts to seek a diplomatic solution.
The leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations discussed the nuclear issue during their one-day summit yesterday with Premier Wen Jiabao, agreeing on its importance for regional security, said Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who led the gathering because Philippines holds Asean's rotating leadership this year.
"We were impressed by the unanimity of every leader on the issue of North Korea and their resolve to work together to seek a diplomatic solution through the resumption of the six-party talks," Ms. Arroyo said.
She praised host China for its "hands-on role" in sponsoring the six-nation talks, which include both Koreas, Japan, Russia and the U.S.
International talks on the North's nuclear program stalled last year when Pyongyang refused to attend, protesting against a U.S. crackdown on its alleged illicit financial activities. The sense of urgency deepened when the North claimed to have conducted an underground nuclear test this month.
The leaders, gathered in this southern city for a summit commemorating 15 years of formal ties between China and Asean, didn't include the North Korea issue in a joint statement after the meeting.
That statement, intended as a blueprint for future cooperation, said members would "promote investments by creating a liberal, facilitative, transparent and competitive investment regime in China and Asean."
Asean groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Trade between China and Asean, expanding by nearly 40% a year, is likely to exceed $200 billion a year by 2008. Last year, trade hit $130.4 billion, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
"We take some pride in helping China become an economic powerhouse," Ms. Arroyo said. "China has surged onto the world's stage and Asean has surged with it."
Plans were set in 2002 for a free-trade area with China that will create a market of about 1.8 billion consumers and economic activity totaling more than $2 trillion.
Despite cordial business relations, Beijing's relations with Southeast Asia is dogged by lingering tensions. China fought a war with Vietnam in the late 1970s and has periodically sparred with governments over claims to oil reserves and fish-rich islands in the South China Sea.
At yesterday's gathering, leaders agreed to work toward a proposed "code of conduct" to prevent conflicts in disputed South China Sea territories. Such an accord has been delayed by China's reluctance to accede to an agreement that could be perceived as a binding pact, a Filipino diplomat, Benito Valeriano, told reporters last week.
It was unclear if the gathering made any substantive progress on the issue.
The Asean-China summit also marks the opening of an expo promoting regional trade and investment -- an annual event held in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, which borders Vietnam.
东盟呼吁朝鲜重返六方会谈
东南亚领导人呼吁恢复举行旨在打破朝鲜核计划僵局的多国会谈，同时称赞了中国为寻求外交解决朝核危机而付出的努力。
菲律宾总统阿罗约(Gloria Macapagal Arroyo)表示，东南亚国家联盟(Association of Southeast Asian Nations, 简称：东盟)领导人在周一同中国总理温家宝举行的峰会上讨论了朝鲜核问题，认为这个问题对地区安全至关重要。菲律宾是东盟今年的轮值主席国，因此阿罗约是这次峰会的组织者。
阿罗约说，“关于朝鲜问题，与会的每一位国家领导人都表示，他们决心共同努力推动以外交方式通过重开六方会谈来解决这个问题，我对大家意见的一致感到印象非常深刻。”
她赞扬了中国为主办六方会谈而发挥的“穿针引线”作用。参加六方会谈的国家包括朝鲜、韩国、日本、俄罗斯、美国和中国。
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有关朝鲜核计划的六方会谈去年被迫中止，当时美国宣称朝鲜参与了非法金融活动而对其实行制裁，朝鲜因此拒绝参加会谈。在朝鲜本月宣布进行了地下核试验后，恢复谈判的紧迫感进一步增强了。
与会领导人在会后发表的联合声明中没有提及朝鲜问题。在中国南部的南宁市举行的这次峰会是为了纪念中国同东盟建立正式对话关系15周年而举办的。
作为未来合作的远景规划，声明表示，“成员国将在中国和东盟建立一个自由、便利、透明并具有竞争力的投资机制以促进投资。”
东盟包括文莱、柬埔寨、印度尼西亚、老挝、马来西亚、缅甸、菲律宾、新加坡、泰国和越南。
中国与东盟贸易额的年增长率接近40%，到2008年时有望超过2,000亿美元。中国官方的新华社(Xinhua)报导说，2005年，双边的贸易额达到了1304亿美元。
阿罗约说，我们对帮助中国成为经济强国感到自豪，中国已经屹立于世界舞台上，东盟也从中得到了发展。
2002年，东盟同中国制定了建立自由贸易区的计划，这将建立一个人口约为18亿，经济总量超过2万亿美元的巨大市场。
尽管经贸关系良好，但中国同东南亚之间也存在一些潜在的紧张因素。中国在上世纪70年代末同越南发生了武装冲突，该国现在还不时与一些东南亚国家就南中国海几个石油和渔业资源丰富的岛屿发生归属权之争。
在周一的峰会上，与会领导人承诺有效落实旨在防止南海冲突的《南海各方行为宣言》。菲律宾外交官巴莱里亚诺(Benito Valeriano)上周向记者表示，由于中国不愿接受其中一份协议的约束力，这项宣言一直没有落实。
尚不清楚此次峰会在这个问题上是否取得了实质性进展。
东盟-中国峰会也标志着旨在促进本地区贸易和投资的中国-东盟博览会拉开了帷幕。这一博览会每年都在中国广西的首府南宁举行。
