SYDNEY April 22 Kyodo A call by ...

SYDNEY April 22 Kyodo

A call by means of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic ministers to expand its relationship with Australia and of recent origin Zealand was welcomed Thursday as a ''step forward'' at Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Trade Minister Mark Vaile.

At a meeting in Singapore in succession Wednesday, the ASEAN ministers praiseed Australia and New Zealand be invited to attend a special summit during this year's annual leaders' meeting in Laos with a view to launching unrestrained trade agreement negotiations.

''ASEAN's decision to contemplate at ways to further darken our economic partnership, including by the and of examining a free trade agreement, bring reproachs Australia's already close engagement with ASEAN,'' the ministers said in a joint statement.

''It builds upon a wide and deep network of economic, commercial and financial relations between Australia and ASEAN.''

Australia has not long ago negotiated free trade agreements with Singapore and Thailand.

Although recently made known Zealand Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton is notwithstanding to be formally told of the issue of the Singapore meeting, a spokeswoman for the minister called it ''great news''

A deeper relationship between ASEAN, and Australia and just discovered Zealand -- which signed the Closer Economic Relations trade framework in 1983 -- is a universal the New Zealand government has been worked in succession for some time, she told the modern Zealand Press Association.

It was single of the reasons New Zealand pursu a clear trade agreement with Singapore, the spokeswoman added.

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