ASEAN economic officials, dialogue partners to discuss economic cooperation

A coordination meeting between ASEAN senior economic officials and its dialogue partners are due to take place in Yangon Monday to discuss issues related to the establishment of free trade areas and economic cooperation between them, sources said.

The dialogue partners include China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, China's Hong Kong, the United States, Russia and Canada.

The three-day meeting follows the prior third meeting of the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials for the 46th meeting of ASEAN Economic Ministers set to be held on Aug. 23 to 28.

At its third meeting which started last Saturday, ASEAN senior economic officialsdiscussed issues regarding an ASEAN free trade agreement, ASEAN economic integration and tasks being carried out by sectoral working groups of ASEAN.

They also exchanged views over reports to be presented to the 46th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting, the ASEAN Free Trade Area Council Meeting, the ASEAN Investment AreaCouncil Meeting and the ASEAN Economic Council Meeting.Myanmar is currently rotating chair of ASEAN.