AAP (Australia) National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Nov 26
ASEAN HOWARD (CANBERRA)
The federal government is playing down its reluctance to join a non-aggression pact with its Asian neighbours as Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD prepares for a historic visit with ASEAN leaders.
It's the first time Canberra's received an invitation to the summit.
ASEAN members are keen for Australia to join up to so-called the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, but the federal government says signing the pact would be incompatible with Australia's alliance with the US.
Mr HOWARD says Australia is unlikely to sign the pact, which isn't expected to be part of the formal Association of South East Asian Nations agenda at next week's meeting in Laos.
Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says Australian governments also have not signed the treaty because of concerns that signing would prevent them speaking out about human rights abuses.
And Opposition foreign affairs spokesman KEVIN RUDD says Mr HOWARD'S refusal to sign is an obstacle to Australia's development in the region. [end] http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc0.asp?docid=1P1:102856212&refid=hbr_flinks1 ====================