by Martin Abbugao

HANOI, VIETNAM - ASEAN is hoping to deepen engagement with the United States and Russia as China's economic and military influence rises in the region, analysts and diplomats say.

"There must be a counterbalance, otherwise one country will dominate," a Southeast Asian diplomat told AFP, referring to China.

"ASEAN can play a central role because it is a friend to all the major powers," the diplomat said ahead of annual talks beginning Monday with ASEAN's foreign ministers.

ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, groups 10 states from the region, and the bloc's overtures to the US coincide with President Barack Obama's new focus on the area.

His administration says the region was overlooked under former president George W. Bush, whose government became preoccupied with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Russia and the US are already part of a formal dialogue process that will take place on Thursday with ASEAN.

But they are not part of the larger East Asia Summit which began in 2005 involving the ASEAN countries as well as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Admitting Russia and the US to the East Asia Summit is one of three options for bringing them into a larger meeting format and deepening engagement, diplomats said. Those options are expected to be discussed this week.

"In essence, all ASEAN countries want Russia and the US to join. It's just the modalities," an Asian diplomat said.

Vietnam, the meeting's chair, "is hopeful that they can get a deal done up" for Russia and the US to join a larger meeting format in October, when the next series of ASEAN talks occur, the diplomat added.

At their Hanoi talks the foreign ministers are expected to work on the "appropriate modalities for Russia and the US" deeper engagement in an evolving regional architecture", a draft communique says.

This includes "the possibility of their involvement" with the East Asia Summit, said the draft obtained by AFP.

Last year, proposals for two other regional groupings emerged. Japan raised the idea of an East Asian Community focused on economic ties, while Australia's then-prime minister Kevin Rudd mooted an Asia-Pacific Community that would include the US.

Although neither of those proposals gained traction, analysts said ASEAN should act swiftly to maintain its relevance as the driver for bringing major powers together for regional talks on security and other issues.

The bloc must seek to "regain the initiative", Singaporean scholar and diplomat Barry Desker wrote in a commentary on this week's ASEAN meetings.

A briefing paper prepared for one ASEAN foreign minister and seen by AFP said "the deeper involvement of the US in the evolving regional architecture in East Asia and the Pacific is most welcome."

US-ASEAN ties could involve expanded cooperation in efforts to address the threat of terrorism and fight future financial crises, according to the briefing paper.

It said Moscow's "deeper involvement" would also be welcomed.

Cooperation with Russia would range from the fight against trans-national crime to nuclear non-proliferation and energy security.

"Noting Russia's growing international stature as an energy supplier, (we) encourage Russia's support" for ASEAN's plan to establish a regional gas pipeline and power grids, the paper added, while ASEAN would support Russia's early accession to the World Trade Organisation.

The paper said this could improve Russia's trade with ASEAN.

This week's talks in Hanoi culminate on Friday in the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia-Pacific's largest security dialogue, which will be attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Russia is also an ARF member. --AFP