Brussels, 04/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - Against all expectations, on Thursday, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and his Asian counterparts, meeting on the sidelines of the 13th meeting of economy ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) at Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) agreed to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement between the EU and the south-east Asian bloc. Mr Mandelson and his hosts reached agreement on a compromise, allowing them to set their differences on the thorny issue of human rights and political repression in Myanmar/Burma to one side (see EUROPE 9419). “The understanding is that we are talking to the EU as a group of 10 member countries, and Myanmar is a member of ASEAN,” the secretary general of ASEAN Ong Keng Yong told press, according to AFP. When asked by EUROPE, Mr Mandelson's staff could give no further information. At this point, no timetable has been set, but Mr Ong said that the parties had agreed to set up as quickly as possible a joint committee of experts to draw up a roadmap for discussions. (eh)