Rudd pushing Asia Pacific Community plan

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has pitched to regional leaders his ambitious plan for a
new Asia-Pacific political and economic bloc, but his idea is facing competition
from a new Japanese proposal.

Mr Rudd, accompanied by his special envoy for the proposal, veteran diplomat Dick
Woolcott, presented leaders with his vision for an Asia-Pacific Community (APC) on
the sidelines of Sunday's East Asia Summit in Thailand.
Mr Rudd believes the APC would consolidate the region's global influence and
increase cooperation on a broad range of political, economic, environmental and
security issues.
Mr Rudd's plan was met with a lukewarm response when he first raised it in June last
year but has since won some support throughout the region.
But Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama used the summit to push a rival plan for
an East Asian Community that would have a narrower membership, excluding countries
like the United States, but include a common regional currency.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, host and chair of the East Asia Summit, said
leaders listened carefully and attentively to both plans.
"There will be an ongoing process to flesh out those concepts," he said.
Mr Rudd said he welcomed the "conversation" about a new regional grouping.
"What I detect across the region is an openness to a discussion about how we evolve
our regional architecture into the future," Mr Rudd told reporters before he
presented his plan.
"I have not set an urgent timeline on this, I have in fact suggested a timeline of
2020, so that everyone has an opportunity to canvass a range of options for the
future.
"Everyone's going to have a different view on what shape it should be, over what
period of time, I'm perfectly relaxed about that."
Mr Rudd declined to reveal whether he would support the idea of a Euro-style common
currency.
"I think it's important to take things one step at a time."
Australia will host a low-key conference of regional officials in December to
further discuss the APC concept.
Mr Rudd also spruiked his plan during bilateral meetings with China, New Zealand,
Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
The summit itself focused on increasing economic and financial cooperation,
addressing climate change and improving natural disaster management.
Before the summit, Mr Rudd announced Australia would establish a new civilian corps
to help with regional disasters.
The government will create a registry of about 500 civilian specialists - including
people with medical, engineering and construction experience - who could be rapidly
deployed to disaster zones, he said.
Mr Rudd also welcomed leaders' agreement that the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free
Trade Agreement would come into force on January 1, 2010.
The East Asia Summit brings together leaders from the 10 ASEAN nations plus
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, South Korea and India.