JAKARTA:  Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited the ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta and met with ASEAN Secretary-General Rodolfo C. Severino, Jr. and senior members of the ASEAN Secretariat on 18 January 2002.  Prime Minister Thaksin was in Indonesia for a two-day state visit.  In his meeting with Secretary-General Severino, Prime Minister Thaksin expressed his appreciation to the Secretary-General and commended the ASEAN Secretariat and for its “important role” in facilitating decision-making in ASEAN.  He said that he would like to see ASEAN “cooperate more” including the integration of its newer members; continue to implement AFTA; and accelerate ASEAN’s economic cooperation with China, particularly through an ASEAN-China free trade area.  Secretary-General Severino briefed the Prime Minister on what ASEAN senior officials and the ASEAN Secretariat are doing in these areas.  The Prime Minister added that ASEAN “should move faster” in its areas of cooperation and suggested that ASEAN encourage “pathfinders” among its members to move forward while others may join when they are ready.

For photos of the visit, click here.