Image via Wikipedia
Smith said he was pleased at the positive response from many countries to the idea, and to the further information Australia provided about the plan.
Image by stage88 via Flickr
"Our notion of an Asia Pacific Community is to get all the same players in the same place at the same time," Smith told Sky News.
Smith noted once again that it was a long-term initiative, with a 2020 timeframe.
Image via Wikipedia
"I expect we will see it evolve over time, just as ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) itself has evolved," he said, referring to ASEAN's growth from half a dozen nation states in the '60s to its present 10 countries.
He pointed to the evolution of groupings like the East Asia Summit, which the United States is considering joining.
Smith said although ASEAN would continue to play a central role in the Asia Pacific, it was important to ensure institutions in the region reflected its growth and significance.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=81668822-79da-44a3-a857-27ad81a717fc)
No comments:
Post a Comment