KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9: Japan and Asean decided on Friday to launch a series of workshops in a bid to break an impasse in negotiations over a free trade pact, officials said.

“The talks over the envisioned Japan-Asean economic partnership agreement have reached a deadlock as it is Japan’s first attempt to form a free trade agreement with a region,” said Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai after meeting his Southeast Asian counterparts.

“We proposed that we hold workshops, rather than official negotiations, to facilitate the free flow of ideas. We will invite private businesses to participate,” Nikai said on the sidelines of the annual Asean meeting.

The first workshop is expected to be held by March in one of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Japan has reached a free-trade pact with Singapore and forged broad, basic agreements with Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.

But trade talks between Japan and Asean have made little progress since they began in April, Nikai said.

“Asean ministers and I have agreed that we want to conclude our negotiations by March 2007,” he said, adding Japanese business leaders have urged him to make progress in the talks.

Earlier Friday Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso that Asean was also keen to see an agreement.

“Negotiations for the Japan-Asean economic partnership agreement have faced difficult challenges. We must take measures to help advance the talks,” Syed Hamid said, according to a Japanese diplomat.

Aso agreed but stressed that Japan would first solidify bilateral ties and economic partnerships with individual countries before embarking fully on the Japan-Asean economic partnership agreement, according to the diplomat.—AFP