WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauded the first ever U.S. summit with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held recently in Singapore and the agreement to enhance the Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) between the U.S. and the region. “ASEAN has caught the imagination of American business leaders as a market of great promise,” said Myron Brilliant, the Chamber’s senior vice president for international affairs. “Strong growth in Southeast Asia and opportunities for our companies could be enhanced if our governments worked together to put more meat on the bones of the TIFA.” The U.S. Chamber hopes the agreement could eventually culminate in negotiations for a U.S.-ASEAN free trade agreement as proposed recently by Senator Richard Lugar. “A broader trade accord with ASEAN is worth exploring, despite such hurdles as varying levels of development and market openness among the ASEAN economies,” Brilliant said. “Trade negotiations would help keep the U.S. fully engaged with a region that has recently clinched trade deals with China, Japan, Korea, India, and other countries.” ASEAN is made up of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. Press release originally published November 18, 2009 — by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce