Australian PM suggests formation of Asia-Pacific Community

Australian Premier Kevin Rudd today suggested formation of an Asia-Pacific Community of nations like India, United States, China, Japan and Australia but played down comparisons with the European Union following criticism.       

Rudd has proposed the community as a new regional institution which would cover economic, political, and security matters while speaking to diplomats, academics, business executives and students at a public lecture in Singapore.       

Rudd said his proposal, first floated in June, remained a concept at this stage.       

Current institutions such as the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were limited and the 16-member East Asia Summit excluded global power the United States, he said.       

The wider Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which includes the United States, is confined to discussions on trade matters and does not cover Asian giant India.      

"My proposal is a mechanism that will bring regional powers such as India, China, US, Japan and South Korea as well as smaller states on a table to discuss a wide range of issues related to climate change, security cooperation, economic liberalisation and national disaster management," Rudd said.        

But fearing criticism from his predecessors Rudd moved away from comparisons between his proposal and the European Union.