Terrorism to be high on PM's agenda for ASEAN tour
Sunday, October 5 2003 17:43 Hrs (IST)
New Delhi: The issue of terrorism and steps to enhance economic co-operation would be high on the
agenda of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's seven-day visit to Indonesia and Thailand beginning
October 6 during which several agreements, including three key ones between India and 10-nation
ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), would be signed.
Heading a high-level delegation, Vajpayee would first fly to Bali in Indonesia to attend the second India-
ASEAN Summit on October 8, the first having been held in Cambodia last year.
Reaching the scenic resort of Bali on October 6 morning instead late evening as scheduled earlier,
Vajpayee would soon thereafter get into bilateral parleys with several ASEAN leaders. He would also
meet his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the Summit, the second interaction
between the two leaders in three months, besides Indonesian President Megawati
Sukarnoputri.
A Joint Declaration against terrorism, a Framework Agreement on comprehensive economic co-
operation leading to an ASEAN-India free trade area in 10 years, and India's accession to the ASEAN
Treaty on Amity and Co-operation in South East Asia would be signed by New Delhi and the powerful
regional grouping during Vajpayee's stay in Bali.
ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar,
Thailand, Brunei and Laos.
PTI
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