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'Canberra

may become

Asean member'

CANBERRA: Australia's push for greater involvement in Asia was boosted on Tuesday when Philippines President Fidel Ramos said Canberra could be allowed to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"Australia coming into ASEAN is something that must be considered very carefully by Australia and ASEAN," Ramos told the National Press Club in the Australian capital, Canberra.

Ramos, pointing to the time involved in approving membership for Hanoi, which joined ASEAN in July, indicated any move to allow Australia to join could take several years.

Australia is already one of several so-called dialogue partners with ASEAN. The group is also considering a move to expand the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) to include Australia and New Zealand.

ASEAN is trying to implement AFTA by the year 2003.

Under the plan, tariffs would be cut by then to a maximum five percent.-Reuter