[STRONG TIES: US President Barack Obama (second from right) joining hands with Asean leaders (from
left) Najib Razak of Malaysia, Thein Sein of Myanmar, Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, Lee Hsien
Loong and Abhisit Vejjajiva of Thailand at the Asean-US summit yesterday.]

By Kenny Chee

UNITED States President Barack Obama has said that he would like to meet all 10 Asean leaders again next year, after participating in yesterday's first Asean-US Leaders' Meeting, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

This highlights Mr Obama's interest in Asia.

Speaking at a media conference yesterday after the weeklong Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders' Week, Mr Lee said that Mr Obama is "very much focused on Asia".

During the Asean-US summit - which lasted over one hour - Mr Obama said that he wanted to work with Asean on areas like education, as well as social and cultural cooperation, said Mr Lee.

The leaders also agreed to work on other areas like furthering economic cooperation and fighting terrorism.

Mr Lee said: "All the Asean countries, without exception, were very happy to have the opportunity to engage America and pursue greater prospects to cooperate on."

In a joint statement, US and Asean leaders also called on Asean member Myanmar to "create the conditions for credible elections including initiating a dialogue with all stakeholders, to ensure the process is fully inclusive".

However, they stopped short of calling for the release of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi. Nevertheless, Mr Obama was reported by The Associated Press yesterday as having directly told Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein at the Asean-US meeting to free Ms Suu Kyi.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak reportedly said that the Myanmar Prime Minister did not address Mr Obama's concerns over Ms Suu Kyi.

He also said that no reference to Ms Suu Kyi was made in the joint statement as there was no consensus on the matter.

Mr Lee added that he and Mr Obama discussed regional topics as well as how the US could work further with Apec and Asean at a Singapore-US bilateral meeting yesterday.

He noted that Singapore-US relations are "very good", so much so that he and Mr Obama spent "very little time discussing them because they are no issues to worry about".

Mr Lee added at the media conference yesterday that Singapore is also working towards an announcement in next year's Budget, in line with Apec's goal of developing new growth frameworks for the region.

kennyc@sph.com.sg

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