Ciobo hails ASEAN success story
AAP
The federal government has hailed a Southeast Asian bloc as one of the region's great success stories and has not ruled out Australia seeking observer status.
Parliament secretary for foreign affairs Steven Ciobo told a Committee for Economic Development of Australia conference in Canberra on Monday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations had transformed a region of strategic conflict into one of remarkable co-operation and consensus, and was on the cusp of becoming a single economic market.
Asked if Australia should join ASEAN as an observer, Mr Ciobo said he was not going to announce government policy, but anything to improve integration in the region was a positive step forward.
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