Phnom Penh, Nov 05: Describing the first India-Asean summit today as a "logical progression" of the traditional links, Prime Minister Vajpayee has said he would seek enhanced cooperation with the ten-nation grouping through the Asean free trade area. "We are seeking to accelerate trade and investment flows between India and Asean through enhanced cooperation with the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA)," he said in a message to a publication brought out by Indian Embassy for the summit. Vajpayee, making his second visit here in last six months, said, "The first India-Asean summit is a logical progression of traditional links in line with contemporary opportunities and realities."
Asean has a annual turnover of a trillion US dollars and India`s trade with the grouping is only ten million US dollars.

The Prime Minister, who would hold bilateral talks with Cambodian premier Hun Sen tomorrow, said it was particularly fitting that the summit should take place in Phnom Penh because of the closeness of Indo-Cambodian ties.

Bureau Report