The United States has not played a role in the EAS process nor was it invited to attend. Some fear that by shifting emphasis from APEC, an organization in whichthe United States has played a leading role and which encompasses the broader Pacific Rim, to anannual East Asia Summit, in which the United States is not a participant, America's overall positioncould become relatively less influential and the United States could potentially be excluded frompreferential trade agreements. Japan reportedly opposed such a definition of thegrouping. Singapore has taken a leading role in articulating thebenefits of an open regional framework for Southeast Asia. (30) China was recently able to gain observer status to the SouthAsian Association of Regional Cooperation, the main multilateral grouping in South Asia. (31) 

	Key Outcomes of the First East Asia Summit

The Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the East Asia Summit, of December 14, 2005, madeseveral key declarations which are listed below. "... we have established the East Asia Summit as a forum for dialogue on broadstrategic, political and economic issues of common interest and concern with the aim of promotingpeace, stability and prosperity in East Asia." It hasbeen observed that key outcomes of the summit are that ASEAN "successfully projected its politicalcentrality in a wider region fast becoming a function of the economic weight of China and India,"and those within ASEAN Plus Three who advocated a more inclusive membership were able to bringIndia, Australia, and New Zealand into the group.
The first East Asia Summit (EAS) met on December 14, 2005, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.It brought together the ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), [Brunei, Burma,Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam] as well as the"plus three" states [China, South Korea, and Japan] and Australia, New Zealand, and India, todiscuss issues of common concern. Japanese officials have described the EAS as an "historic summitmeeting to be held with a view to establishing a future East Asia Community." (1) Such a group could potentiallyreplace Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) as the main multilateral forum in Asia on tradeand investment liberalization and economic integration. Russia was invited to attend the EAS as aspecial guest. (2) Some inthe United States are concerned that the East Asia Summit marks a rise in Asian regionalism inwhich the United States is not playing a leading role. There is also concern that China may use theEast Asia Summit to consolidate a leading role in Asia. A key outcome of the first East Asia Summitis that ASEAN appears to have retained a central role in the process. This report will be updated ascircumstances warrant.