April 6, 2002	Saturday	Muharram 22, 1423

BANGKOK, April 5: ASEAN’s economic ministers held talks with US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick here on Friday in the first formal negotiations to build trade ties with the world’s biggest economy in over 10 years.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations said it hoped to hash out a clearer trade mandate to boost economic relations with Washington.

Thai Commerce Minister Adisai Bodharamik opened the talks by calling for joint efforts on both sides to revitalise existing cooperation, forge closer ties, and explore new areas of cooperation between the two regions.

Adisai, who noted it had been “over a decade” since formal ASEAN-US trade talks were held, said it was the strong intention of ASEAN to strengthen its relations with the US.

Zoellick, Washington’s top trade negotiator and a member of President George W. Bush’s cabinet, said Thursday that a strong ASEAN region was vital for a US partnership with Southeast Asia.—AFP