It is expected that next week, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold talks with New Zealand and Australian ambassadors, possibly about a the feasibility of free-trade agreements.

It is expected that ASEAN will continue current talks this week in order to finalize a free-trade agreement between ASEAN and India. Pending the results of the discussion, next week could be used for talks with the ASEAN ambassadors of New Zealand and Australia. Predominantly the subject will be ensuring that the ASEAN-India free-trade agreement can be signed in December.

With the rising concern of ASEAN about the importance regional trading pacts in the face of continually rising powers like India and China, the possibility of talks about a free trade agreement between New Zealand and ASEAN is certainly a realistic discussion point.