Asia Pac together needs to tackle global eco issues: PM

Calling for cooperation among Asia Pacific countries to tackle the global economic uncertainty, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the vast growth potential of India and these nations can be realised only by inculcating a "collective temper".    

Addressing the 8th East Asia Summit, Singh said the meeting is taking place at a time "when the need for collective action, cooperation and collaboration in the Asia Pacific region has never been felt more acutely." "Global economic uncertainty and political turmoil in other parts of the world have impacted countries in our region equally. "In addition, this vast region faces challenges arising not only from its diversity, but also from differences. Also read: New govt to inherit worse eco situations than 1991 & 1998, says Yashwant Sinha Clearly, the potential of unprecedented prosperity for our peoples can be realised only by inculcating a cooperative temper,", the Prime Minister said.  "The East Asia Summit is a forum that is, in my view, ideally placed to help us realise our common goals for advancing security and prosperity in a cooperative framework," he added. The EAS is a forum for cooperation among the ten ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) nations and its partner countries -- Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US. The ten ASEAN comprise Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.