The Hindu : International / India & World : Lee backs India's inclusion in `East Asian Community'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004

International

International - India & World

Lee backs India's inclusion in `East Asian Community'

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, DEC. 21. The former Singapore Prime Minister and elder statesman, Lee Kuan Yew, has suggested that a place be kept for India in the proposed "East Asian Community."

Responding to a question from The Hindu at a dinner meeting with the Foreign Correspondents Association here on Monday night, Mr. Lee said, "India has something to contribute not only in economics but also in the political and diplomatic fields and even in the security fields."

Mr. Lee's support for India acquires importance in the context of the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's initiative for the creation of an "Asian Economic Community." Dr. Singh had discussed this idea with the leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a summit in Vientiane on November 30.

Although Dr. Singh's idea has not yet gained currency in South-East Asia, as reflected in Mr. Lee's initial response to the question, the primary thrust of India's move is to forge economic partnership not only with ASEAN but also China, Japan and South Korea. The ASEAN and these other countries had, at their separate summit in Vientiane, agreed that "the establishment of an East Asian Community is a long-term objective." Mr. Lee said: "Should India join? I say, `Yes'. It will expand the market, it will force more specialisation, division of labour." Welcoming India's potential contributions in this wider context, he said, "It is to the advantage of ASEAN countries that any such East Asian Community should include India."

The question of any "East Asian Union" would be "different" though. Posing the question as to "what are "our Maastricht rules" over a single currency and other issues — a comparison with the European Union, Mr. Lee said ASEAN should first "aim for a free trade area" of its own and then weave "bilaterals China, Japan, (South) Korea, India" and proceed further towards an economic community among themselves. He also mentioned the possibility of an eventual inclusion of Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan in such a scenario.

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Lee backs India's inclusion in `East Asian Community'