U.S. signs ASEAN treaty, boosts engagement

By Dean Yates and Arshad Mohammed

PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed a friendship treaty with Southeast Asia on Wednesday, underlining Washington's renewed focus on a region that has increasingly come under China's influence.

Other countries including China have acceded to the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation, a document that underpins the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). It commits signatories to the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in domestic affairs.

"The United States is back in Southeast Asia," Clinton declared at a news conference on the Thai island of Phuket before she signed the treaty and held talks with ASEAN foreign ministers.

"President Obama and I believe this region is vital to global progress, peace and prosperity and we are fully engaged with our ASEAN partners on the wide range of challenges confronting us."

Some analysts say Washington's enhanced interest in Southeast Asia could assuage some concerns in the region about China's growing clout, especially over Beijing's projection of naval power in the South China Sea.

Clinton's meetings on Wednesday precede Asia's biggest annual security gathering, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which takes place on Thursday and where North Korea's nuclear programme will be high on the agenda.

U.S. officials had said Clinton wanted to stress Washington's interest in ASEAN, a region home to 570 million people and with combined economic output of $1.1 trillion.

Washington routinely sent lower level officials to ASEAN meetings under former President George W. Bush.