April 19, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 01, 1428

TOKYO, April 18:Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) vowed on Wednesday to try and work out the broad framework of a free trade deal next month, Japanese officials said.

Japanese and Asean working-level officials made the pledge at the seventh round of their talks Tuesday and Wednesday on a so-called comprehensive economic partnership agreement (EPA), a trade ministry official said.

A free trade agreement would be the core of an EPA.

They hoped to reach a broad accord on merchandise trade when Akira Amari, the Japanese minister of economy, trade and industry, meets his Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts in Brunei on May 4, the official said.

The two sides agreed to liberalise more than 90 per cent of merchandise trade in value within 10 years after an EPA took effect, the official said.

Japan confirmed that it planned to eliminate tariffs on some 92 per cent of its imports from the 10-nation Asean bloc in the 10-year period, while Asean aimed to remove tariffs on more than 90 per cent of its imports from Japan, the official said.

After working out details on merchandise trade, the two sides would seek to set rules in such areas as services and investments, the official said.

“There has been progress in the talks and the Asean side has a deeper understanding on key items (including rice),” a foreign ministry official told Kyodo News.

The free trade deal will be Japan's first with a regional bloc.

Earlier this month, Tokyo signed a free trade pact with Thailand, following deals with Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.—AFP