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    ISAS Insights

    Detailed perspectives on developments in South Asia​​

    10 : EAST ASIA SUMMIT – AN APPRAISAL

    DS Rajan, Research Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in India and Raakhee Suryaprakash, Research Intern at the Observer Research Foundation in India

    30 December 2005

    The East Asian Summit (EAS) held at Kuala Lumpur on 14 December 2005 after a 15-year gestation period was an important event in the evolution of Asian relations. The former Malaysian Premier Dr Mahathir first mooted the idea in 1990. Sixteen world leaders from ASEAN, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, representing half the world’s population attended the summit. The Russian President Vladimir Putin also addressed the summit after attending the first ASEAN-Russia meeting. Russia has been keen on becoming a part of the EAS.