PHILIPPINES: North Korea and energy likely to dominate talks during a meeting of East Asian leaders in Philippines

East Asian leaders, along with leaders from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand arrived amidst a colourful ceremony in Cebu, Philippines to begin talks on North Korea and energy security. Philippine President Gloria Arroyo opened the meeting calling it "vitally important at this time in world events" for the leaders to discuss "peace, security, social justice and economic growth" together. Asian nations are set to sign an energy security pact on Monday (January 15) to call for investments in renewable energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, ending a summit marked by warming ties between Japan and China. Leaders of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), along with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand gathered for the East Asia summit, which follows the yearly ASEAN conference in the central Philippines city of Cebu. The East Asian summit began last year as part of a process of creating trade and security ties among countries that account for half the world's population and a fifth of global trade. Natural disasters and pandemics are also on the agenda, and the leaders are expected to endorse a birdflu prevention "road map" sharing best practices. On the regional security front, the Asian leaders are expected to unite in support of enforcing U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea after its nuclear and missile tests last year, and of the six-party talks aimed at inducing North Korea to give up its nuclear weapon ambitions. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- countries that span the political and economic spectrum.

ITN Source | January 15, 2007

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