KUALA LUMPUR: The first East Asia Summit here on Wednesday decided to set up the EAS forum for dialogue on "broad strategic, political and economic issues" of common interest and concern to promote peace, stability and economic prosperity in East Asia".

The heads of government from 16 countries — 10 from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand — issued the Kuala Lumpur "declaration" on the EAS after nearly three hours of discussions.

It would be an "open, inclusive, transparent and forward-looking" forum in which ASEAN would be the "driving force", working in partnership with the other six countries, the declaration said.

Participation in the EAS would be based on criteria established by ASEAN.

It would be hosted and chaired by an ASEAN member-country, which holds the ASEAN Chair, and held back-to-back with the annual ASEAN summit.

The EAS modalities would be reviewed by all the participating countries, the declaration said, without making any reference to a role for the "ASEAN plus three" forum, which groups China, South Korea and Japan with ASEAN.

The EAS called for fostering strategic dialogue and promoting cooperation in political and security issues to ensure that the countries lived in peace with one another and with the world at large in a "just, democratic and harmonious environment".

Areas of focus

The forum would focus on promoting development, financial stability, economic integration and growth, eradicating poverty and narrowing the development gap through technology transfer and infrastructure development, capacity building, good governance and humanitarian assistance and promotion of financial links, trade as well as investment expansion and liberalisation.

Cooperation was also planned in environmental protection, prevention of infectious diseases and natural disaster mitigation.

Speaking at the leaders' "retreat", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appreciated the ASEAN initiative to convene the EAS, stressing that a "safe and experienced driver" would take the forum to its destination.

Calling upon the leaders not to stop at sectional free trade area (FTA) agreements, Dr. Singh wanted greater economic integration at the Asian level for which he suggested that the EAS set up a follow-up mechanism consisting of officials and experts.

This mechanism would prepare a roadmap.

Dr. Singh said all countries in the region should strive for harmonious relationships and seamless trade and investment ties. "We are on the cusp of a new opportunity. We should seize it," the Prime Minister was quoted as saying by External Affairs Ministry official Rajiv Sikri.

Other leaders at the summit made a range of proposals. "There were no contradictory remarks," Mr. Sikri said, stressing that it was a meeting of friends without any misunderstanding. (China and South Korea have been very critical of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni shrine — an issue which prevented a routine summit of the three countries taking place in Kuala Lumpur.)

While the United States was not invited to the first EAS as it did not meet the ASEAN criteria, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the formal session as a "guest" of the Malaysian hosts.

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