NEWS - Asians, Latinos Eye Better T

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Subject: NEWS - Asians, Latinos Eye Better Ties

Asians, Latinos Eye Better Ties
 
 .c The Associated Press
 
  By JASMINA KUZMANOVIC
 
SINGAPORE (AP) - The era of globalization is bringing together two
continents with few cultural, historic and economic ties but a lot to
share - Asia and Latin America.
 
In the first such meeting ever, senior officials from 27 Asian and
Latin American countries were to gather Wednesday through Friday in
Singapore to discuss boosting their miniscule trade exchange, overcoming
cultural differences and fostering better ties overall, a spokesman for
Singapore's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. He spoke on customary
condition of anonymity.
 
The forum, which mirrors a more established Asia-Europe Meeting
initiative, is the brainchild of Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong,
who suggested it to Chilean President Eduardo Frei a year ago.
 
Goh said Tuesday he was pleased to get the initiative off the ground so
quickly.
 
``This shows that all participating countries welcome the need for
formal dialogue and cooperation between our regions,'' Goh said.
 
Only 2.6 percent of Asia's exports went to Latin America in 1997,
according to the latest figures from Singapore's Foreign Affairs
Ministry. Just 4.3 percent of Latin America's exports came to Asia in
the same year - or 1.1 percent if Japan is excluded.
 
Cultural and ``psychological barriers'' of an earlier economic era, as
described by Goh, abound as well.
 
According to Singapore's Foreign Ministry, in all of Southeast Asia
there is only one certified simultaneous translator specializing in
English and Spanish - and she lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
 
During the forum's first meeting, the delegates will discuss mutual
projects and prepare for the group's foreign ministers' summit next
year.
 
Asian countries participating in the talks include Brunei, Cambodia,
China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
 
Latin American countries sending delegates include Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Uruguay and Venezuela.
 
AP-NY-08-31-99 1049EDT >>