AFP
TOKYO - THE leaders of Japan and South-east Asia's five Mekong River nations on Saturday wrapped up a summit at which Tokyo has pledged more than US$5.5 billion (S$7.7 billion) in loans and grants.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told a press conference the Mekong region was a 'priority area' for Japan's official development assistance (ODA) as it seeks to boost development in the resource-rich area.
A joint declaration said 'Japan commits more than 500 billion yen (S$7.7 billion) of ODA in the next three years' for the further development of the Mekong region, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand.
Eighty per cent of the overseas development assistance would be in low-interest yen loans, for projects ranging from regional highway links to water infrastructure and technological training, a government official said.
The goal of the Mekong group is to boost development through cooperation. But the summit started under a cloud as Thailand and Cambodia on Thursday recalled their ambassadors from each others' capitals. The neighbours have fought deadly skirmishes since July 2008 over disputed land around a temple. The latest flare-up arose when Cambodia named Thailand's fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as a government adviser.
Another guest in Tokyo is the prime minister of military-ruled Myanmar, Mr Thein Sein, whose country has been criticised for human rights abuses, including its long detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Mr Hatoyama was to meet Mr Thein Sein, Myanmar's first premier to visit Japan since 2003, on Saturday for talks.
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