11.   An often-confrontational Albright chooses reason in dealing with ASEAN, an economic bloc that is gradually becoming a regional political arbitrator.

12.   Arab countries must further integrate their economies to confront other regional economic blocs, Egyptian Economy Minister Manal Tatawi said Wednesday.

13.   ASEAN confirmed at a summit in Indonesia last week that Burma would be admitted into the economic bloc, though no date was fixed.

14.   ASEAN is a regional economic bloc comprised of Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

15.   Burma, along with Laos and Cambodia, was granted admission into the economic bloc at an ASEAN summit in Jakarta last week, although no date was fixed.

16.   Burma was admitted into the regional economic bloc last week during a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

17.   But it also could raise concern in those countries that an economic bloc against them was in prospect.

18.   Cambodia is expecting to be admitted to the seven-member regional economic bloc in July along with Laos and Burma.

19.   Cambodia is scheduled to join the economic bloc at the end of this month.

20.   Creating a regional economic bloc should be avoided.